Unforgivable sinners
by Sandylee007
Summary: After a death of friend’s, Kai is sinking into his guilt. Will he take the hand that tries to pull him back to life? YAOI TyKa Rated to be safe.
1. Unforgivable sinner

A/N: Oh, so now you think I'm not retiring after all? (sigh) I wish that was the case, but I truly am sending out my last fic(s). (sniff) I only made this for two reasons: 1) I became obsessed with this idea, and 2) I really started to miss you guys. 

Okay, so… Um… This'll be a death-fic. You might already know who dies, having read the summary. So… I hope you've got your tissues ready! (grins)

Oh, and the DISCLAIMER: I still don't have any crazy ideas of owning anything from the series Beyblade. (wish I did, though) And sadly, I also don't own the song in this fic, which is "Unforgivable sinner" by Lene Marlin.

Okay, now that the boring part is over… Here's the fic! Hope it's readable! Oh, and when reading… I'm not sure if I should leave this as a one-shot or not, so… While reading, think if this could continue, or is it better off left ending the way it does. (I'm good at confusing sentences, huh?) Hope you'll like!

(And in case you're wondering, I've changed some minor things. In my version, Kai did teach Wyatt blading for some time – I'm not sure if he did in the real version. And it was Wyatt who told Kai to return to his team – the spark he got from the battle with Dunga wasn't enough. Hope you won't hate the changes.)

* * *

**Unforgivable sinner**

* * *

/ **_Kinda lose your sense of time  
'Cause the days don't matter no more_** /

* * *

It had been four months.

Leaves were dancing around the place where Wyatt had fallen as Kai soundlessly made his way towards his destination, with nothing but sheer determination managing to keep himself from falling apart completely.

Images flashed before his eyes, sending unbearable shivers of anger, quilt and something so foreign that Kai couldn't find a name to it. That emotion made him feel like he'd been trapped, suffocating. Was it quilt? Or longing? Perhaps both? He was too confused to tell.

* * *

/ **_All the feelings that you hide  
Gonna tear you up inside  
You hope she knows you tried_** /

* * *

/ _" Hey, you're Kai, right? Kai, from the Bladebreakers."_

_The voice brought Kai out of the trance he'd been in while unpacking the few belongings he'd brought along to the school. Slightly startled, he turned his gaze to meet a boy with brown hair and warm, chocolate-brown eyes that were shining with something he recognized as hope and excitement. Blinking, he nodded. " Yeah." He wasn't annoyed by the boy's presence. How very strange._

" _I'm Wyatt Smithright", the other introduced himself and smiled brightly, blushing. " I… I'm a huge fan of yours."_

_For some reason that was way beyond him, Kai found himself returning the smile with just a small one. " Hn."_

_He kept unpacking, partially managing to forget the boy standing right behind him. That was, until he took out his blade. At first, Wyatt didn't say a thing – just stared at the blade with widened, astonished eyes – until there was this small, shy question. " Kai… I… I know this is a weird thing to ask, and… I probably shouldn't, but…" Was that another blush he saw? " I'm not exactly the… best blader around here, and… I've seen you in battles. So…" There was a nervous gulp. " I was thinking… if you could help me. Please?"_

_In any other occasion, Kai would've streamed out every single nasty comment he possibly had to offer – after all, he wasn't exactly the Yoda-like teacher-type. And he had every intention to retire as a blader anyway. But as he looked into Wyatt's eyes that shone with expectation, he found his glare – along with all resistance – melt. Slowly, he found himself giving a tiny, scarcely visible nod._

_And from that day forward – whether he admitted it or not – nothing was the same for him._ /

* * *

/ **_Follows you around all day  
And you wake up soaking wet  
'Cause between this world and eternity  
There is a face you hope to see_** /

* * *

Kai was almost startled as he realized that he'd reached his destination. Blinking furiously, he pushed the steely, squeaking gate open with a trembling hand, entering.

Despite the fact that he'd never been there before, his feet knew the way well. And much sooner than he was ready for it, he was stood in front of a tombstone he would've never wanted to see.

His entire body started to shiver, and the tears burning his eyes were almost unbearable to hold back. Not really knowing what he was doing, he brushed the stone gently with his fingertips. " Gosh… I… I'm so sorry…"

_Wyatt Ashton_ _Smithright_

_23.6.1988 – 13.7.2002_

_A deeply loved, longed son and friend_

_May you now find peace with angels_

As Kai stared at the words that slashed like thousand knives, his shivering becoming even more violent, for a second time in his life his courage almost failed him.

And once again, it was because of Wyatt.

* * *

/ **_You know where you've sent her  
You sure know where you are  
You're trying to ease off  
But you know you won't get far  
And now she's up there  
Sings like an angel  
But you can't hear those words  
And now she's up there  
Sings like an angel  
Unforgivable Sinner_** /

* * *

/ _Kai, sitting on the rooftop of his school with his eyes locked to the stars, was suddenly alarmed by the sensation that he was no longer alone. Eyes flashing, he quickly turned his gaze – and was taken by surprise upon seeing Wyatt approaching carefully._

_It almost amused him. Did that kid think he'd bite him or something? " You do realize that I have no intention to harm you, right?"_

_Giving a small, shy smile, Wyatt slumped down next to him, also lifting his gaze up to the stars. For a long moment they remained silent._

_Until suddenly, there was a quiet question. " Do you ever miss it?"_

_Mystified, he looked at the brunette. " Miss what?"_

" _Blading. You know, the battles, your team, Dranzer…" The boy gazed at him, searching look in his eyes. " I could see the look in your eyes when you were blading with Dranzer – you always had this… fire. It made you so alive that it was breathtaking."_

_Kai frowned and looked away from the other, not liking being analyzed like this. " I still have it", he noted, for some incomprehensible reason unable to give one of the famous Kai Hiwatari's snaps and snarls he would've stroked anyone else with._

_Wyatt shook his head, a small, sad smile on his lips. " No, you don't." He looked at the boy, mouth open to protest, but a stern shake of head silenced him. " You haven't lied to me a single time, so don't you dare start now." The flame that lit into the brunette's eyes almost startled him. " Blading is in your blood, Kai. It's… it's who you are. You can't live without it. You need it."_

_Feeling a strangest surge of heat and energy flow through him when feeling Wyatt's sudden passion, Kai found himself leaning closer to the other, heart beating furiously against his ribcage. Soon, he was so close that he could actually feel Wyatt's warm breath against his skin._

_And then, at that moment, his courage failed him._

_Abruptly backing away with a small, inaudible gasp, he shook his head vehemently. The look of disappointment, sorrow and defeat he saw in the brunette's eyes shattered his heart. " I don't need anything." And with those words, he was gone._ /

* * *

/ **_You've been walking around in tears  
No answers are there to get  
You won't ever be the same  
Someone cries and you're to blame_** /

* * *

Staring at the tombstone, Kai gave a bitter laughter, swallowing down tears. " You know what's ironic? I was wrong. The great, almighty Kai Hiwatari was actually wrong." He shook his head, eyes already growing watery. " I _did_ need something. Still do. And it's the one thing I can no longer have." He gulped again, but it didn't manage to erase the melon-sized lump from his throat. " I just… I wish I would've told you… before you …" He trailed off, not baring the last word.

" Kai?"

Kai's eyes widened with fright and his heartbeat shot up. His poor heart almost lost its rhythm. That voice… just sounded so… familiar… " W – Wyatt?" a wheeze escaped through his lips.

There was a deep, miserable sigh. " Sorry, but… It's just me." Slowly peering over his shoulder, he found Tyson standing behind him, hands tightly in his pockets. " I knew you were here, and… got a little worried."

Eyes turning horrifyingly hollow as the hope was once more lost, Kai turned his gaze away again. " You shouldn't have", he murmured. " I just… I'm okay."

" Kai." Tyson's voice sounded anything but convinced. " Do you have any idea of for how long you've been sitting here?"

Kai blinked in surprise, then shook his head a little. To be honest, he really didn't have a clue. Not that he would've even cared.

" Five hours", the bluenette replied for him. " It's nine in the evening." He couldn't help catching the deep worry lazing the younger teen's voice. " Kai, you… you can't torture yourself this way! I know it's horrible, and unjust, but… None of this brings Wyatt back." Was that a sob? " Please, Kai… You can't disappear, too. I'm not letting you be that selfish." He could hear the other's temper start to boil. " Look at me, damnit!" For some mysterious reason really doing as ordered, he was taken aback when seeing tears rimming the boy's flaming eyes. He was terrified when finding those eyes cracking the shield he'd pulled up to protect himself. " Why the hell are you doing this to yourself? None of this is your fault!"

Those words shattered down the last of his barrier. Finding himself shivering uncontrollably again, he gave a small, wounded sound, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Locks of hair thankfully fell to hide his face. " Yes, this is!" He didn't even notice he was roaring. " I killed him, Tyson! He's dead because of me!"

* * *

/ **_Struggling with a fight inside  
Sorrow you'll defeat  
The picture you see it won't disappear  
Not unpleasant dreams or her voice you hear_** /

* * *

/ _Packing up his belongings, Kai was taken by surprise as there was a sudden knock on his dorm-door. After a moment's hesitation, he walked up to open – and blinked in surprise. " Wyatt?" Knowing Wyatt all too well, he frowned. " What's wrong?"_

_The smaller boy gulped laboriously. " Kai, I… I don't want you to go." As the boy sucked in a breath of air, a loud wheeze was heard. " I… I can't…"_

_Deeply confused – which was a alien feeling to him – Kai gave a frown. " In case you've forgotten, you were the one who told me to leave in the first place."_

_Desperate look in his eyes, Wyatt shook his head. " I was an idiot. I… I thought…" His thoughts tangling, the boy shook his head, as though that would've cleared his head. " I don't know what I was thinking."_

_Kai didn't know if he should've been amused, worried or annoyed. " Wyatt… What the heck are you trying to say?"_

_As Wyatt looked into his eyes, he felt his entire soul shatter when seeing all hope and optimism die from the boy's face. " You just don't get it, do you?" Wyatt shook his head, visibly struggling against raging emotions. " I… I hope you'll find what you're looking for." And before there was another chance for words, he was gone._

_Kai's whole body shivered as he slowly pulled the door closed. Having that done, he squeezed his stinging eyes closed, resting his forehead against the door._

_The problem was, that he knew what Wyatt had been trying to say all too well. And he had no idea of what to do about it._

_Cruelly, fate decided that he never had to make up his mind._ /

* * *

/ **_You know where you've sent her  
You sure know where you are  
You're trying to ease off  
But you know you won't get far  
And now she's up there  
Sings like an angel  
But you can't hear those words  
And now she's up there  
Sings like an angel  
Unforgivable Sinner_** /

* * *

Slashing, agonizing words that seemed to come from another world almost tore Kai apart._" I was thinking… if you could help me. Please?"_

" I… I couldn't protect him in the end, Tyson. He trusted me to do so…"

Every single muscle in his body tensed as he felt a hand landing onto his shoulder, burning his skin. " It isn't your duty to protect everyone."

His glazed, glimmering eyes, by then finally open, flashed with agony and self-hatred. " I should've protected the one I…!" The last word caught into his throat, and his eyes widened with such panic he'd never in his life felt before.

… _love_

No… It was just impossible… It… It couldn't be…

" _I… I hope you'll find what you're looking for."_

And it wasn't until at that unbearably painful, crystal-clear moment he realized that he had – and it was now lost.

The day he'd held Wyatt's body in his arms… the boy's life had literally slipped through his fingers.

Because of his idiotic stubbornness and stupidity.

At first, with Kai's entire body turning almost limp under his hand, Tyson was terrified that the older had lost consciousness because of all the strain and lack of sleep. But then, the Russian started to shiver all over, and this mournful, pained sound that came from Kai tore Tyson's soul. " K – Kai?" Not realizing what he was doing before he'd done it, he cupped Kai's cheek with his hand – and was almost terrified when seeing tears on the boy's snow-white cheeks. " Oh man… Kai…"

Both terror and a weird sensation of something hot he'd only felt with one person before flooded through Kai as Tyson's hand held him, burning more painfully than any flame. " Ty…" For a moment, he was at a loss of words. " Don't… touch me. Please." He was too confused… He just couldn't take this, not now, not yet…

Tyson's entire body turned icy as he complied, reluctantly moving his fingertips from the soft skin, gulping thickly. " Sorry… I just…"

He was, however, interrupted by Kai's shake of head. Once again, the boy's eyes found the tombstone. " Don't."

At that moment, when a tense, icy silence fell on them, Tyson almost broke down to tears. All those dreams he'd had since Kai had taken his hand by lake Baikal: hopes of having some kind of a connection with the untamed Russian, perhaps even…

But now… It was all lost. Because he realized that no matter what he did or said, he'd never have that space in Kai's heart that'd been spared for Wyatt, and Wyatt only.

And nothing had ever hurt more. Nothing could possibly hurt more.

That's why he turned around and practically ran away, not even trying to keep tears from falling to his cheeks.

Hearing Tyson's steps disappear, Kai bit his lip so roughly that a taste of blood filled his mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut, determined not to shed another tear – ever again. " I'm so sorry…"

His whisper was never heard by anyone.

* * *

/_ **Maybe one time lost  
But now you're found  
Stand right up before  
You hit the ground  
Maybe one time lost  
But now you're found  
Stand right up before  
You hit the ground - hit the ground** _/

* * *

Tyson didn't have a clue of for how long he'd been straying outside as he finally slipped into his room, legs so weak that they barely carried him. Nor did he register how horrifyingly cold he was – it was freezing outside.

Slumping onto his bed, tears escaping without him even noticing it, he glanced around the darkened room – and his heart immediately wrenched.

Everything… just everything… reminded him off…

The scent, the pictures… He could still feel _him_ in his fingertips…

A sleepy voice cut through his tangled thoughts. " Dude, is that you?"

It took a lot to make his state of mind steady enough to allow words. " Y – yeah… I just… I took a little walk."

" It's past midnight!" The sound of his grandpa's was deeply annoyed. " Be grateful I didn't swing you with a kenjo-stick!"

He had to gulp down the lump in his throat. " I… I'm sorry."

There was a tired sigh, followed by a yawn. " Just don't ever show up this late again or you're seriously going to get your ass kicked, 'k?"

His tears glimmered in the pale moonlight as he sniffed quietly. " I won't."

" We'll talk in the morning. Now go to bed or I'll come and tuck you in."

Muttering something he didn't even register, he moved his gaze – and winced with soul-tearing agony as his eyes found one particular, framed picture.

On it, he was grinning widely while sitting under a tree, an arm wrapped tightly around deeply annoyed-looking Kai, who was trying to read a book and not even looking at the camera. But despite the look upon Kai's face, the mood was warm. And… Perhaps it was his imagination, but he could've sworn the older boy's hand had crawled towards him…

Giving this pained, frustrated cry, he bounced up from the bed, and before he even knew what he was doing, his hand had whiskered the picture onto a floor. The glass immediately shattered to hundreds of pieces.

Making another cry, he buried his face into his hands, feeling his heart beat so frantically that it almost fell apart.

He… he couldn't stay, not anymore… There was nothing left to stay for, not now when…

Almost like automatically, his desperate eyes found a suitcase, and a warm flood went through him.

Leaving…

Yes. He would take the coward's way out. He'd escape.

And there was no way he could ever come back.

* * *

/ **_You know where you've sent her  
You sure know where you are  
You're trying to ease off  
But you know you won't get far  
And now she's up there  
Sings like an angel  
But you can't hear those words  
And now she's up there  
Sings like an angel  
Unforgivable Sinner_** /

* * *

**Owari/TBC**

* * *

A/N: (sniff) This tore my heart, too. (sniff, sniff) Was the story okay? I hated to kill Wyatt – annoying, perhaps, but he's also adorable.

Now… The choice is yours. Would you like this story to continue for some (less than ten) chapters, or is it better off left here? Let me know! Your wish is my command! (geez, that sounded… creepy)

In any case, thank you so much for reading! (HUGS) Don't forget to hit me with a review!

And in case this is to be my final fic… Be safe! I'll be watching over you! (not THAT way, you perverts!) (grins) And I WILL always be checking on my reviews (wink, wink)

After a death of friend's, Kai is sinking into his quilt. Will he take the hand that tries to pull him back to life? YAOI TyKa


	2. All roads lead back to pain

A/N: Uh-huh… So you really do want this to continue, it seems. Well, your wish is my command. (grins) 

Thank you so much for those stunning reviews! You won't believe how proud it makes me feel to know that someone actually likes these silly little scrabbling of mine! (HUGS) You guys _are_ precious!

Okay, before I get all sentimental, here's chapter two! And hey, there's also a voting going on – take a look at the ending a/n to know more!

'Hope this is still worth reading!

* * *

**Chapter two: All roads lead back to pain**

_**Two years later.**_

The university's canteen was filled with noise as a small group sat in the most quiet corner, a thick aura of worry lingering over them.

" So… I believe we all know why we're here", Hilary sighed, running a weary hand through her silky, now long-grown hair.

" Yes…", Kenny muttered gloomily, apathetically playing with his coffee. " This'll be a _nice_ little intervention…"

" We're all dead if he finds out we're ganging up behind his back, you do realize that, right?" Zeo – who'd became their new team-member after Tyson had left – noted, look of nervousness and something close to terror in his eyes.

" Look, the facts are that a) he isn't taking his pills anymore, and b) he isn't eating or sleeping. Damnit, yesterday he told me he'd seen…!" Ray – who'd been practically snarling – couldn't speak out the name they'd in silent agreement promised to never say again. " And… In case you haven't noticed, during the past year and a half he's been in a hospital more than at home! If we don't do something about this, we'll lose him! Are you seriously more scared of his wrath than that?!"

The others stared at him in total shock. The silence was heavier than stone. " Uh-huh…", Kenny eventually whistled. " Someone's gotten up with the wrong foot today."

Taking a huge breath and sucking in a heavy sigh, Ray rubbed his face with one hand. " Sorry, guys… I just… This is all so…" Shaking his head, the somewhat distressed neko-jin got up, obviously about to leave. " I think I could use some fresh air… Besides, my next class is about to start."

Hilary gave a small smile. " 'K. Bye."

They all followed Ray with their gazes as the neko-jin walked away. " Do you have any idea of what's wrong with him?" Zeo asked. Cyborg or not, he still had a sharp insight of feelings.

Hilary shook her head with a sigh. " I'll talk to him later. Just… Let's handle one mess at a time, okay?" Suddenly remembering something, she looked at Zeo. " Hey, how's Aimi? Isn't it today she'll get her test-results?"

Aimi was a close friend of both Zeo and Kenny's – now a girlfriend of the former's – plus a marvelous blader the Bladebreakers had recruited when Max had left Japan shortly after Tyson. She'd became a dear friend to them all – and that's why they'd all been overwhelmed by shock when oncologist had diagnosed her with leukemia. Today, after a hellish fight, she'd finally find out if she was in a remission – or on her way to much worse.

Zeo – who seemed beyond exhausted (probably having stayed up the entire night before) nodded, rubbing his eyes. " Yeah… I've tried to call her about million times, but she won't answer."

Hilary gave the exasperated boy's hand a small squeeze. " I'm sure she's fine."

" Yeah", Kenny joined in, eyes flashing with determination unlike anything they'd seen before. " Aimi is tough. There's no way she'd let something like this bring her down."

The conversation was cut as Hilary's cell-phone rang. Seeing who it was, she gave a small frown. " Hi, wolfie. Is something wrong?" As she listened, her eyes widened with immense shock. " Oh gosh… Yeah, we'll be there is a second."

Zeo and Kenny frowned as she hung up, shock plastered onto her face. " Hil, what's going on?"

She gave a loud gulp. " We'll better get to the hospital."

* * *

About an hour later, Ray found himself sitting in a small, Japanese park with his eyes closed, working his hardest to get all his mangled thoughts straightened.

For about thousandth time, those fatal words came to his ears, making shivers run through him.

" _Ray, the thing is… I… I'm pregnant."_

Groaning, he rubbed his temple, helplessly trying to ease the tension.

What the hell was he going to do? What the hell were _they_ going to do?

Suddenly, his golden eyes snapped open at the familiar sound he hadn't heard for two years. " Seiji, I'd really like to go home."

" Don't be ridiculous", another voice – a bit deeper – protested. " Do you really want to just sit around that dump, brooding over everything? That's not your style, baby."

Still filled with disbelief, Ray slowly turned his gaze – and true enough, the familiar boy was standing there. " Tyson?"

Hearing his words, Tyson – who'd been walking across a path nearby – froze, stormy eyes widening with disbelief. Slowly the boy turned his gaze, and gasped when seeing him. " R – Ray?" There was a evident, labored gulp. " It's… been a while."

A huge turmoil of feelings flooded through Ray. He was happy and relieved over seeing that the bluenette was alright, but… Nothing could quite erase the fact that Tyson had disappeared without a trace for two years, abandoning his team, his entire life. In a way, he'd betrayed them.

Not quite sure of how to feel about the younger teen's presence, Ray crossed his arms over his chest. " Yeah, it has." He frowned. " What are you doing in here?"

" We've… been travelling a lot lately. I… I thought it'd be nice to be at home for change." The smile that appeared to Tyson's stiff face was such a clear fake one that it confused Ray. " Besides, now that grandpa's living in Florida, someone's gotta look after the dojo."

Ray gave a small, hesitant nod, still troubled by the younger boy's deeply uncharacteristic behavior. " Yeah…" What the heck was wrong with Tyson?

As awkward silence fell, Ray finally noticed that there was someone beside Tyson – an arm wrapped almost possessively around the teen. This muscular boy, who was most likely at least a couple of years older than the bluenette and about Kai's height, had short, spiked black hair that had some wine-red decorating them. On him he had a pair of black jeans and a dark-blue tank-top, plus a silvery necklace that represented a lighting-bolt around his neck. For some bizarre reason, the look in the boy's reddish-black eyes sent cold shivers down his spine.

Still, he forced a smile and offered his hand. " Hi, I'm Ray. Are you Tyson's…?" he asked, gesturing with his hand. He wasn't that shocked over the thought of Tyson dating a guy: after all, he'd known about the bluenette's… taste from the beginning.

" Boyfriend. Yes." The boy took his hand with such force that it was almost crushed. " Seiji."

Another set of chills overtook Ray. _Uh-huh…A real Mr. Sunshine… _It wasn't until then he noticed that there was a huge tattoo – a ruby-red snake – on the boy's hand squeezing his, meandering all the way from near-fingertips to shoulder. " Nice to meet you." Receiving a ice-cold look in return, he forced himself to look back at Tyson, who seemed almost… scared. " Tyson, I… I think we should have a talk. Alone." He gave Seiji a look, desperately trying to smile a little. " No offence."

" None taken." The voice was colder than ice. Dark eyes met Tyson's, sending a dangerous, demanding look. " Don't be late. I'm waiting."

Tyson gulped, and something close to terror filled his eyes. " I… I won't be."

" Good." Seiji looked at Ray for one more time. " Farewell, Ray. It was… a pleasure to meet you" For some reason, the way his name sounded when coming from the boy's mouth almost stilled Ray's heart.

He couldn't help gulping thickly, shivering. " B – bye."

And without another word or a single look over his shoulder, Seiji walked away.

* * *

After a long, rather uncomfortable and silent walk, Tyson and Ray were sitting in a cafeteria.

Taking a sip of his herbal tea, Ray finally decided to cut the heavy silence. " So… What's the story behind you and Seiji?" He knew he was only avoiding what he really would've wanted to ask, but decided that he just couldn't go there yet.

Tyson's eyes fixed onto his mug-full of strong, black coffee. " I… met him in Amsterdam. He was the only other Japanese there, so we…. bonded."

Ray nodded, stirring his drink to avoid direct eye-contact with the bluenette. " Do you love him?" He had no idea of where to question came from. Was he really that desperate to avoid the real issue – or was it that something about Seiji… hadn't felt right? Besides, he didn't think _that_ spot in Tyson's heart was open for anyone anymore…

Whatever the reason, he obviously hit the nerve. Tyson jumped visibly, eyes widening. A couple of times his mouth opened without words until there was a wheeze. " Sure." Stormy eyes were filled with annoyance and something much darker as the boy looked at him. " Why are you asking that?"

Giving a sigh, he shook his head, once again focusing onto his drink. " I… don't know." It was a fat lie, but he didn't feel like bringing his suspicions up just yet. " Sorry."

Tyson plainly shrugged, and for a while tense silence lingered between until the boy spoke. " How's everyone?" His voice was small and cautious, clear hesitance radiated from his whole essence. Ray could easily understand why: the bluenette was definitely wondering what the others would think about him after he'd left them like that.

" We haven't been blading for about a year – everyone's too busy with studies, work and… stuff." He took a sip of his drink. " Tala moved to Japan five months after you left. At first we were sure he and Hilary would kill each other, but now… I think they're dating… or something."

That sure as hell made eyes almost pop out of Tyson head. " What?!"

Ray couldn't help grinning at the boy's shock. " A year ago, Tala had a horrible flue, and Hilary was the only one who had time to take care of him. Apparently, he was hallucinating enough to kiss Hilary, and, well… No matter how stubbornly Tala keeps telling us they're just friends, we're not buying it anymore. Not when they disappear together about million times a day." Taking another sip of his already cold drink, he moved on. " Kenny is studying in a university, and Max moved to America about a year ago. We're guessing that there's something going on between him and Emily."

Tyson smirked. " I knew she had hots for him!" His expression, however, soon became very solemn. " What… about…?" He couldn't quite push himself into saying the name, his hands moved restlessly around the mug.

That question, or probably even more the nervous gestures, confirmed all Ray's suspicions. Feeling his heart ache due to all he didn't want to tell, he decided to pass the question, and instead make another one – one that'd been burning his mind for two years. " Ty… Why did you leave?" Seeing the terrified, trapped look in Tyson's eyes, he decided to move forward. " Because of Kai?"

Tyson felt like a knife had been plunged straight through his heart, and his entire body made a small jolt. He opened his mouth, then quickly snapped it closed again.

He couldn't tell Ray, just couldn't… Besides, what good would it do?

" It has nothing to do with Kai." Such a blatant, pathetic lie! " I left…" His eyes squinted, watching the people walking behind the café's window. " … because the life I had… was suffocating me." That was true, in a way. If he would've stayed close to Kai with all these unrequited feelings… he would've died. " I needed something bigger, something better."

Ray's golden eyes flashed with fury. He wasn't sure which one angered and hurt him more – the fact that Tyson was actually lying to his face, or that his suspicions had been correct. That Tyson had actually ran away from his problems instead of facing them, thus causing everyone who cared about him pain.

Slowly, eyes still rather dark, he got up from his seat. " I hope what you found matched with your expectations", he stated stiffly. " See you around."

For a moment, Tyson thought he should try and stop Ray as the neko-jin stormed off, abandoning his tea. But his muscles weren't co-operative, and giving a small cry he buried his face into both of his hands.

" I had no other choice…", he whispered to himself.

But no matter how many times he kept telling himself that, he knew that he'd made a huge mistake. One he'd pay for for the rest of his life…

**¨**

As Ray got out of the café, his cell-phone rang. Surprised, he picked up. " Hil?"

" _Ray, get your ass into the hospital._"

* * *

Sitting in the university's blissfully quiet library about three hours later, Kenny tried desperately to collect his stubbornly straying thoughts. But even thought he'd been sitting there for a long while, the attempts weren't paying off.

Everything felt such as messy as before.

A growl escaped as he closed his hazel eyes, now visible as he'd finally cut his hair. " Crap…"

" Having a bad day?"

Startled, he turned his gaze – and his heart immediately reacted as he saw the girl behind him. She had frost-blue hair that just reached her chin, plus a pair of most beautiful, rich purple eyes that always took his breath away. On her she had also purple long skirt, plus a midnight-blue top.

" Hi Aimi", he greeted, half-subconsciously making room. He winced inwardly when sensing the heavy, chilling scent of hospital lingering around her – one he'd grown all too used to during the past year and a half.

He had to gulp thickly before he felt strong enough to ask the horrifying question. " Did Dr. Niamana have the test-results?" It felt almost the same as asking 'are you going to die?'.

Hearing the question, Aimi felt her blood turn icy. She had to wrap her arms tightly around herself to stay warm. " She said…"

" _I… I'm so sorry."_

" … that there's still some abnormality."

_" How long?"_

" But…"

" _Four months. Six at the most."_

She forced a smile, bravely looking straight into Kenny's hopeful eyes. " … I'll be fine."

Kenny had never before felt such relief. Completely losing control over himself, he wrapped his arms tightly around the girl, pulling her close. " Aimi, that's… that's great!"

Aimi had to close her eyes to keep tears from coming as she returned the hug, holding on to him with a desperate force. " Yeah."

Kenny's heart wrenched when he was forced to let go of her. The pain grew thousand times worse as he had to say the next words. " Have you told Zeo yet?" _After all, he's your boyfriend_, he thought bitterly. _I'm just a freakin' best buddy._

She shook her head, something odd, almost like misery, in her eyes. " No, I… I was just on my way." She got up so abruptly that it surprised them both. " I… I should go. See you later."

Something close to nausea attacked him, and he had to swallow thickly. " Yeah… See you…"

With that she whirled around, holding on to that stupid fake-smile as long as he could see her face. And as she hurried away, running a desperate hand through her hair, both had tears in their eyes. The same thought crossed both their minds, though for very different reasons.

_This isn't fair._

* * *

Tyson had hard time fighting against his tears when he entered his grandpa's dojo, where he and Seiji were currently staying.

He, however, froze as soon as the door was closed and gulped when seeing Seiji standing there, arms crossed over his chest and eyes blazing. " S – Seiji?"

" I told you not to be late", the boy growled, dangerous look appearing to his face. " Or was that Chinese brat more attractive company than I am?"

Tyson blinked, feeling his chest tighten with fear. " Seiji, don't be ridiculous!" His voice was a bit high-pitched. " Ray is just a old friend, nothing more!"

" Liar!" Seiji snarled.

Tyson hardly realized what was happening before a stone-hard fist met his face, and he swayed back a little, giving a tiny, pitiable meow of pain. His whole body was trembling, and eyes widened with terror as he felt something warm and sticky meandering down his cheek.

Another battle-mark.

_Oh God, no… Not again…_

Seiji's eyes also widened as the boy realized what he'd done. " Tyka…" The boy reached out a hand, and he jolted as the same hand that'd just harmed him now caressed him gently. Tears glimmered in the other's eyes. " I… I'm so sorry…"

Tyson knew that he should've roared, should've told he'd had enough. But only three quiet words squeezed their way through his throat. " It's okay." Hand trembling, he wiped away some blood that still escaped from his nose. " I… I think I should get cleaned up."

Receiving a nod of approval, he soundlessly walked into a bathroom, swallowing tears on his way. He was too much in a shock to feel any of the crushing pain radiating from the nose.

And once again, he found himself wondering how much more he could take.

He was almost finished up with cleaning his face, when the mirror he was looking at himself from showed Seiji standing by the doorway. His blood stopped flooding as he saw the look of fury and betrayal in his boyfriend's eyes. " W – What's wrong?"

" Your little _friend_ Ray just called." The voice was filled with venom. " Said he was sorry… about how things turned out, that he'd like to talk to you again."

Tyson's eyes widened with horror. " Seiji… I…"

But he never got a chance to finish. A cry of fright and pain erupted as the boy punched him again, and he stumbled backwards – falling straight through the glass that shielded the shower. Clothes protected him from the worst harm, but one particularly nasty piece of glass sliced through the skin of his arm, making a long, nasty cut. He gave another cry when heavily hitting the floor.

" Stop that whining!" Seiji hollered, eyes burning with almost black flame. " This is nothing more than you deserve!" Lifting his terrified gaze, wondering if there was more of this to come, he found the boy looking at him, face filled with repulsion. " You disgust me." The boy gave a snort. " You are a fool when hunting other guys. After all, who else could ever love you?"

He gave a wounded gasp, first tears escaping. " Seiji…"

The boy interrupted him with a shake of head. " Don't bother." So saying, he spun around and walked away.

With the front-door slamming shut, Tyson closed his eyes and gave a loud cry, tears of pain, rage and humiliation spilling. " Damnit…"

* * *

Sitting in his room, Ray frowned, head buzzing with about million thoughts. Seiji, Tyson's weird behavior, Kai, and – on top of all – the 'baby-issue'.

Why did everything have to be so damn confusing?

He jumped in mild fright when his cell-phone suddenly snapped to life. Seeing who it was, he gave a small grin. " Hi Maxie. How's America holding up?"

" _America okay, my hair… not so good_", the boy sighed.

" Your hair?" He cocked an eyebrow. " Do I even want to know?"

" _Let's just say that never take a bet where winner gets to do barbering on the loser's hair, you got that?_" Max advised rather gloomily, giving a grave sigh. " _Isn't neon-green coming to fashion soon?_"

Imagining Max with neon-green hair made Ray lose it. He laughed unpityingly for so long that his stomach started to hurt, which felt… very good, actually. He hadn't laughed like that for months. " Sorry, Maxie, but I don't think so." Eventually, he managed to calm himself a little. " Just out of curiosity… What was the bet about?"

" _Oh, I'm so glad if you're having fun with my disgrace._" The former blonde sighed again. " _I… kinda told Michael I'd call Emily's dad, and… tell him about our… err… relationship._"

Again, Ray arched an eyebrow. Now that'd been brave – or suicidal might be a more appropriate word. Having raised Emily alone, his father had always been hyper protective of her, basically watching over her with a shotgun prepared. Any guy trying to touch his little princess… Well, it sure wouldn't be pretty. " I'm taking it you didn't do it, then?"

" _I'm still alive, aren't I?_" There was a loud, demanding shout on the background. " _Eh, I should go now. I'll call again as soon as I can. Oh, and Emily says hi._"

Ray grinned. " Right back to her."

Suddenly, the mood became much more solemn. " _And… tell Kai to get well soon, 'k? Keep the old Sourpuss on track._"

Ray bit his lip. " I'll do my best."

" _Good. Over and out._"

" Bye."

As the phone-call ended, Ray's cell-phone rang again almost straight after. Noticing who it was, he bit his lip once more, so roughly that it actually hurt. His hand was trembling as he slowly put the phone away. " I'm sorry."

He'd have to face the 'baby-issue' eventually. But he couldn't do it yet, not without crashing down everything...

* * *

Tyson felt almost numb as he listened to the rather kind doctor's words – Dr. Niamana, he thought the woman's nametag said. " … keep it dry and clean, alright?" She had a smile upon her face. " And no more practicing acrobatic skills while washing dishes."

He forced himself to return the gesture, not wanting to draw suspicion. Besides, he wanted to be nice: the poor woman had spent a good hour patching up his arm. " 'K. Thanks."

Finally out of the almost suffocating room, he sucked in a long, desperate breath, then let it out slowly, noticing that it shivered quite a bit. Though he'd stopped crying about two hours earlier, he still sniffed, trembling a little. " Damnit…"

He jolted upon hearing the dial-tone of his cell-phone. Picking it up, he jolted again when noticing that it was Senji.

Time for the usual apology-call. But he wasn't ready to hear it just yet.

As he silenced the phone and put it away, his ears suddenly caught a somewhat familiar voice speaking. Giving a small frown, he followed the sound – and became almost shocked when recognizing the voice being Tala's. " … collapsed, Kai! How is that 'doing okay'?!"

His heart skipped a beat, or actually many of them.

_Kai?_

And just then, he could see the two of them. Tala was standing there, ice-blue eyes flaming with annoyance, grief and worry all at once. His gaze was locked to Kai, who was sitting on a bench, one hand brought to rub his face. Tyson's heart skipped another beat, but this time for another reason.

Despite the long-sleeved shirt, he could easily see how thin Kai was. So pale… And the fire in his eyes… Where was it?

_What the heck's going on with him?_

And then… His heart broke a little as he realized. In some twisted, horrible and sick way, it would've been tempting to think Kai was like that because of him, that his leaving would've affected the boy that much, but… He knew better.

Wyatt was the only one who could distress Kai like that, who got such affection from the Russian – when he was still alive, and apparently forever after.

" Tala, I'm fine", the dual-hared boy snarled, sounding more exhausted than anything else. " Just… Leave me be, please. I know you care, but… I can't take your preaches, not right now."

This time, Tala's eyes filled with sheer desperation. Fists clenched into tight balls as he was visibly using all his willpower not to punch some sense into the stubborn boy. " Kai, we've been watching you doing this to yourself for too long!" the redhead cried out. " Didn't you hear the doctor? If… if you keep doing this…" The boy's mouth opened, but the last words were apparently too painful to be sounded. " You should've at least stayed here for overnight!"

Kai's eyes flashed as the boy shook his head vehemently. " Hell no, not ever again."

And just then, they both seemed to sense Tyson's presence. The bluenette was too frozen by the shock from what Senji had done to him, seeing Kai and Tala's unnerving words to move a muscle as the duo's eyes met his.

At first, Tala was too surprised by seeing him to react. Then, a snarl so vicious that it stilled Tyson's blood was heard. " So… The prodigal son returns. Did you have fun?"

He didn't know if he felt more hurt, ashamed or angered by the redhead's harsh words. " I…"

" If you say you're sorry, I can't guarantee what happens to you." The anger in Tala's blue eyes reminded him chillingly of Seiji. " You were already gone for two years. Perhaps you should've stayed that way. It would've been the best for everyone."

" Tala, that's enough", Kai's stern, strained voice cut in sharply.

It was almost unbearable for him to see Tyson standing there. Not just because the boy had done to him just what pretty much everyone else – abandoned him without a word – but because of quilt. He knew full well it was his fault Tyson had left. In the cemetery, he… he'd seen it in the boy's eyes. The silent prayer to return the bluenette's feelings he hadn't been able to answer.

Gosh, he'd never forget the sight of all hope and light dying from the boy's eyes!

Yet another thing he'd shattered.

Slowly, afraid to meet those stormy eyes, he lifted his head. " Tyson…" _Forgive me._

Tyson could literally hear his heart pounding as he anxiously waited for Kai's judgement. For a couple of times, Kai's mouth opened, lips moved in fruitless attempt to form words. But in the end the boy only gave a aggravated sigh and walked right pass him, not giving him a single glance.

Disbelief, disappointment and perhaps even anger filled Tyson's heart as he stared at the boy's distancing back.

_That's it?_

He'd been expecting yelling and screaming, heck, he wouldn't have been surprised if Kai had punched him after he'd ditched the team like that. The Kai he used to know would've sure as hell done that.

It almost felt like that boy walking away now wasn't Kai at all.

Was something wrong with the dual-haired teen – something he had nothing to do with?

Determination flashing in his eyes, he decided to hurry up and catch Kai to get answers – but his wrist was entrapped by an irony hold. " Oh no, you don't. I think you've done quite enough to him – and them all – already."

Meeting Tala's fury-filled ice-blue eyes, Tyson felt something snap. He'd had a hellish day – once again becoming a target of Seiji's ridiculous jealousy, having to meet Kai again, getting interrogated by Ray… This was just too much.

He didn't know which one of them surprised more as his fist met Tala's pale cheek, with such force that the boy's head jerked a little. Tyson felt his heart start to beat even more furiously as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

Damn that had felt good!

" Leave me alone!" he screamed, finding his voice shivering a bit with the turmoil of uncontrollable emotions. " You don't know a shit about my life, so don't you dare judge me!"

Tala's eyes flashed – and Tyson's heart jumped as he again recognized the look. Almost like Senji had been standing right in front of him… He gave a startled gasp as the boy raised his fist – but it froze into the air, and a mixture of frustration, rage and confusion glimmered in the redhead's eyes. A low growl escaped. " Tyson… Get the hell out of here."

Tyson found himself blinking in surprise. " What?"

" Get… the hell… out… of here…", Tala repeated, voice more tense than the strings of violin. " If you don't… I don't know what I'll do to you."

Fury flickered in Tyson's stormy eyes, and it was close he didn't punch Tala again. " I have every right to be here!" he roared, eyes squinting. " And I care about Kai, too! If there's something wrong with him, I deserve to know!" _I need to know!_

Tala snorted. " You didn't seem to care that much when you ditched him like dirt!" The boy shook his head with such anger, disappointment and betrayal that it stung like hundred daggers. " You… You were the one who taught me the meaning of team-spirit, remember? I actually believed in you, damnit! And then…" Fury washed his voice away. " You showed me it was all just a fucking lie!"

Tyson was just about to yell back, when a new voice startled them both. " I can't believe you guys!" Looking towards the voice, they found infuriated Hilary standing there, annoyance and disappointment filling her ruby-colored eyes. " You know, I could almost hear you two roaring when I entered the hospital!" She shook her head. " I've always known Tyson's temper is one of five-year-old's, but Tala… I seriously expected more of you. You should understand that the last thing Kai needs now is you two going at each other's throats!" Sighing, she looked at Tyson. " Ty… It's good to have you back, but… If all you can do is make things worse, then you should just stay away."

Tyson felt his head spinning as the words struck him, slashing deep.

He couldn't take this anymore…

Tears rimming in his eyes, he spun around and ran away, ignoring the people who gave him pitying looks as he passed them.

* * *

Once again, Ray played the same message from his answering machine, torturing himself. Every word stung like burning blades.

" _I… I don't know… how to tell you this…_" There was a sniff. "_Ray, the thing is… __I… I'm pregnant._" Another sniff, this time much louder. " _God, I've never been this scared in my life…_" Sniffs turned into violent sobs. " _Ray, please… Please help me… I'm begging you… I… I have no idea… of what to do… Please… I need you…_"

The words bombarding his head, Ray buried his face into his hands and cried.

* * *

Yells of indescribable joy came from the dorm-room of university as Zeo wrapped his arms tightly around Aimi's slender waist, spinning her around. " Gosh, hummingbird! This is just… This is so amazing!" Pulling her as close as possible and kissing her hair, he looked at Kenny – who was sitting on a nearby couch – laughing. " I told you she'd pull through, didn't I?"

Pain piercing his heart, Kenny pushed a small smile. " Yeah. She's a tough cookie."

As his two friends once again seemed to notice nothing but each other, Kenny forced himself to fix his eyes to the TV-screen. He had to use all his willpower to keep tears from falling.

_How ironic._

She was going to live, she'd be okay. But he'd still lost her.

Aimi, on the other hand, squeezed her stinging eyes tightly shut as she buried her face into Zeo's shoulder, shivering all over. The doctor's words came back haunting her.

" _Four months. Six at the most."_

She graphed the soft fabric of Zeo's shirt as tightly as she possibly could, swallowing thickly.

These would be the longest months in her life…

* * *

Stood behind the door of his grandpa's dojo with his eyes closed, Tyson took many deep breaths, helplessly trying to steel himself for what was to come. Suddenly, all the scars and wounds Seiji had given him throbbed more than ever before.

_" Liar!"_

He'd done this for so many times… Too many times…

_" Stop that whining! This is nothing more than you deserve!"_

Seiji had hurt him for so many times. What was he still doing here?

_" You disgust me."_

Why didn't he just leave?

_" Who else could ever love you?"_

The answer was quite simple, actually, he realized.

" _Don't… touch me."_

He had no other place to go.

" _Tyson… Get the hell out of here."_

Swallowing down the tears of frustration, pain and sorrow that desperately wanted to spill, he soundlessly opened the door and sneaked in.

* * *

There wasn't a single ray of light in the small apartment as Kai sat on a couch, drawing in small, shallow breaths, head spinning.

For about a thousandth time his answering machine activated. Hilary's voice pierced the heavy silence of the room. " Kai, pick up, damnit! I'm worried to sick out here, we all are! Are you okay? Please, call me!"

Ignoring the voice, hardly even registering it, Kai took a look at the things on his lap. A container that held small, white pills – how many of which he'd taken, he had no idea – and a sharp, shining razor.

Painful images flashed through his head.

/ _The kiss he'd almost given Wyatt for what seemed like decades ago._ /

The guilt was just too much. He'd been carrying it on his shoulders for far too long.

/ _Wyatt's face as the boy slowly died in his arms._ /

It was crushing him.

/ _The hope dying from Tyson's eyes as he told the boy not to touch him._ /

As his fingertips gently brushed the cool metal, he realized that once again, there was only one way to run from pain.

/ _The look of utter hurt upon Tyson's face when he'd just walked away that day._ /

Eyes flashing, he graphed the razor, slowly pushed his body up and made his way to the bathroom, soundlessly pulling the door closed after him.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Oh dear… So many of them suffering. (sniff)

So there was chapter two. And, just in case you've forgotten, I announce that there's a voting going on. Or actually, two of them!

Do you guys think I should make someone fall for Kai? (I already have one in my mind…) That'd make this a SeijixTysonxKaix?… thingy. (And if you have a favorite, lemme know!)

So, who should Ray's love – and the other parent of his baby – be? Who's the lucky girl – or even a guy? (Yeah, yeah, taken the mpreg-road once and stuck there…) If you guys feel repulsed about mpreg-idea, just tell me now!

So, tell me what you think, everyone! But please, do it soon – those both things will start to boil in next chapter, where the most popular mate for Ray shall be revealed! It's your choice!

And hey, in this case, one single vote really **does** count!

Hope I'll see you all next time! Until then… Please, please PLEASE review – you've gotta know how much I love hearing from you! And don't forget to vote – if you won't speak out now, it's too late!

(Btw-section here…

Please, don't hate Ray for not being with his baby's other parent – there's a good reason to it.

And yes, I gave Tyson nickname Taka on purpose. I just couldn't resist. (smirks))

Bye for now! Be good!(grins)


	3. Falling in, falling out

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm baaaaaack!

Okay, so you had time to cast your vote – if you didn't, you only got yourselves to blame if the results won't please you. (grins) It was a tight race, but… Well, I hope I managed to come up with a solution no one's gonna kill me for.

And hey, thank you so much for those votes, and especially for your amazing reviews! (HUUUGS) You can't believe how honoured I am for them! (wipes away a tear)

Um… I guess I can calm you guys down a little: Kai isn't dying (at least not in the most traditional meaning…) He's… yeah, sick is perfect word to describe it. But if he (and everyone else) will live through the story… Oh, I'm not giving you that yet! (smirks evilly) (Gosh, I'm mean, aren't I?)

(kailover2006, you have no idea of how tempting your idea is! We'll see what'll happen…) (smirk again)

Yeah, and to make things absolutely clear: this is and will be a TyKa fic. I just adore the couple! (jumps up and down with excitement)

Eh… Okay, okay, let's get on with the show, shall we! Here's chapter three! I hope it's still worth reading… I fought hard to get it done!

* * *

**Announcement:** Um… This is the most embarrassing thing, and I seriously hope I'll never have to make another one of these… I'm not sure if any of you noticed, but in the last chapter, there was a mistake. I stated Kenny and co were in a university, but they're only fifteen! (sighs and slams head to a table) So, yeah, they're in a high school. BUT, they are living in a dorm because of… family issues I'll possibly bring up later. (grins) I'm deeply sorry for the error, and as I said, I seriously hope there won't be another one!

* * *

**Chapter three: Falling in, falling out**

* * *

/ _We all begin with good intent_

_Love was raw and young_

_We believed that we could change ourselves_

_The past could be undone_

_But we carry on our backs the burden_

_Time always reveals_

_The lonely light of morning_

_The wound that would not heal_

_It's the bitter taste of losing everything_

_That I have held so dear._

(Sarah McLachlan, "Fallen") /

* * *

Vacant auburn eyes followed as a beautiful, midnight-blue blade spun furiously on a small dish, sending sparks as it was encountered by another, forest-green one.

A brief, painful memory flashed across Kai's mind, and he had to bite his lip to conceal emotions. " Déjà vu", he muttered to himself.

* * *

/ _" I'm gonna get you this time, Hiwatari!" Wyatt exclaimed, wide smirk upon his face, as his green blade collided with Kai's blue one. A mighty shower of sparks erupted._

" _You've improved, I've gotta give you that", Kai complimented, sparks flashing in his fiery eyes as well. For some odd reason, this strangest warmth again filled his chest, one he felt only when blading with Wyatt. " But I afraid…" His blade hit Wyatt's so roughly that the green blade lost its control, sliding towards the edge. " … that it's not enough." Wyatt blade flew off the dish, straight into the boy's outstretched hand._

_At first, there was surprise in the boy's brown eyes. Then, a huge smile graced his lips. " That was awesome!"_

_That smile… The heat that'd been in Kai's chest spread, filling his entire body. Despite himself, he couldn't help but smile as well, his untamed eyes filling with warmth. " Yeah. It was."_ /

* * *

" So this is where you've been hiding."

Taken by surprise as his usually extremely sensitive senses failed him, Kai peered over his shoulder to see Hilary. " Hi."

Also looking at the two bladers, Hilary slid to the seat beside him. For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, until the girl spoke. " Look… I know that you're not taking your pills again. Actually, we all know." The worry in her tone tore Kai, as did the desperate, devastated look in her eyes as she watched him, almost like trying to find an answer. " Kai, I… I just don't know what to do anymore, none of us does. We want to help you, but…" She gulped heavily, looking at him straight into eyes. " We can't lose you, Kai. Don't you dare slip away from us again."

No matter how much of practice he'd had during his life, Kai found it almost impossible to restrain his emotions. Determined not to break down, he fixed his eyes to the two bladers, and felt another crack forming in his poor heart as he watched the blue blade push the green one off the dish. _Damn Wyatt_… " You shouldn't bother", he murmured, much more to himself than Hilary. " I don't deserve help."

Shocked beyond description over the Russian's heartbreaking words, Hilary opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off by approaching voices. " You two are seriously tough ones to track down", came Bryan's amused voice.

Feeling a huge bang of grief and frustration when watching Kai sink back into his shell, Hilary looked at the people approaching them, and gave a small grin when seeing Bryan and Spencer added to the usual group. " Hey! I thought you wouldn't make it!"

Bryan also grinned. " Are you kidding? This is the event of the year! Of course we had to come."

They were currently participating to what Mr. Dickinson called 'Beyblade Festival'. It included everything from the introductions of newest and finest equipment to amazing battles. Pretty much everyone who could even hold a blade was there – and apparently, Bryan and Spencer had came all the way from Russia.

Looking around, Hilary gave a small frown. " Where's Ian?"

" He's busy with a school-project", Tala replied, taking Hilary's hand with what was supposed to be unnoticeable gesture, giving it a squeeze. " Sent a 'hi' to you all, though."

As the others sunk into jittery, Kai – managing to shrug off the picture of Wyatt's face for a flashing moment – gave a look to Ray, who seemed like he hadn't slept for a month. " You still haven't talked to Oliver, have you?" he more stated than asked, careful not to let the others hear.

Giving anxious sigh and running a hand through his hair, Ray shook his head. " I… I don't know what to do. If her family ever finds out… who knows what they'll do to her." Pain filled his golden eyes. " And… this is for the best. That's what Lee said."

* * *

/ _" Lee… He… He's pregnant."_

_There was a long, icy silence in the other end of the phone. Then, slowly, came a small voice. " Are you the…? I mean, is the baby…?"_

_He gulped thickly. " Yeah, of course it's mine." He had to bury his face with other hand as tears broke through. " God, Lee! What the hell am I going to do? What have I done to him?"_

" _Ray, listen to me. You can't announce the child as yours, do you hear me? If Oliver… If the baby is never born, you're both safe. And you can't see him, not ever again. It's the best for you both, the only way to keep you two safe. Do you understand me?"_

_Swallowing down bitter tears of helplessness, Ray gave a weak nod. " Yes… I understand…"_ /

* * *

" Ray." Kai's voice brought Ray back from the agonizing memories. " Do you love him?"

The question, though so very simple, took Ray by surprise. Blinking in utter confusion, he looked at Kai, giving a small, barely noticeable nod. " Yeah, I do. More… More than anything."

" Then you know what to do." Pain, so deep that it hurt Ray as well, filled Kai's eyes, and the boy looked away, seeming to drift back to somewhere very far away. " Hold on to him, Ray. Otherwise… you'll never forgive yourself."

As Kai stared at the crowd streaming by, deaf to what his friends were talking about around him, he suddenly felt his heartbeat shoot up, and gave a strangled gasp, eyes widening and blood rushing, almost like boiling.

Because there, in the middle of the crowd, stood Wyatt. Slowly, the boy turned his gaze, and their eyes met. The pain and disappointment in Wyatt's eyes felt like a bullet had been shot straight into his heart. And then, the boy turned around, starting to walk away.

Giving another gasp, Kai stood up, so fast that his head started spinning, and outstretched a frantic hand, eyes glimmering with tears. " No!" But it was too late. Wyatt faded away.

" Kai?" The others' eyes were filled with worry as they looked at him. It'd been Zeo – arm wrapped around exhausted looking Aimi – who'd talked. " You okay?"

It took a lot to gulp down the tears. " Y – yeah…" Feeling himself shivering, Kai took a step back. " I've gotta go." With those words, he rushed away.

* * *

Walking, or rather hurrying, aimlessly, Kai paid no heed to the kids who gave him astonished looks and whispered to each other, most definitely recognizing him.

Suddenly losing all the strength within him, he leaned his back against a wall, sucking in futile, shallow breaths to regain his composure and some will to walk on. His eyes fell closed without him noticing it as a tiny, hopeless whisper escaped him. " I'm so sorry…"

" Kai?" He knew that voice… " Hey, hey, are you still with me?"

He inched his eyelids to meet a pair of worry-filled lavender eyes. " Bry?"

" Thought I should come and look for you", the boy explained, then frowned. " Why did you speed off like that?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. " Sorry… I just… needed to think."

Slight relief flashed across Bryan's face. " Well, I think I should take you back. The others…"

Bryan kept talking – Kai could tell, because he saw the boy's lips moving. But the words were nothing but blur to him. And after hearing, his vision started to fail him. Suddenly, there were two Bryans standing before him – and then, there was nothing but a endless ocean of black.

**¨**

Tyson had never felt as insecure as he did when entering the festival-area, gazing at all the people rushing by. Fearful thoughts whizzed through his busy mind.

His old team-mates and friends were definitely there. Was he really ready to face them? And then, of course, there was Kai, a case of completely different kind…

" This was a big mistake", he muttered, noticing too late that he was talking out loud.

Seiji, walking right beside him, hand clutching his with almost painful force, cocked a suspicious eyebrow. " Why so? I thought you love these events."

" I do, I just…" He sighed, frustrated, and shook his head. " Forget it."

And just then, he saw something that made his heart jump unnaturally. There, right before him, was Kai – but the boy wasn't alone. As he watched – his heart teaming with ache so intense he was sure it'd kill him – the boy suddenly fell forward… falling straight into the arms of Bryan.

_No…_

The lavender hared teen (who had his back towards him) immediately wrapped his arms protectively around Kai, holding the boy close, as the dual hared teen rested his head against his shoulder.

As Tyson kept staring at the duo, paralyzed by shock, a horrifying thought crossed his mind.

_Is this how things are supposed to be?_

And at that moment, realizing just how far out of his reach Kai was, he felt his world crumbling apart. Sky fell right on him.

" Taka?" For once, Seiji's voice was filled with sincere worry. " What's wrong?"

He couldn't hold back tears of agony, his fingernails dug helplessly into Seiji's skin. His entire form shivered violently. " Just… I…" It was almost impossible to speak, he didn't even have any idea of what he wanted to say. " I need to… go to the toilet. Now."

**¨**

After a couple of horrifying seconds, Bryan felt the hoop around his heart release its hold just a little as he felt Kai moving slightly against his chest. " Kai?" Not knowing what else to do, he clumsily stroked the boy's hair. " Hey, wake up."  
There was a soft moan, most likely one of humiliation. " Unfortunately, I think I'm up already." Auburn pools cracked open, gazing at him with confusion, fatigue and some annoyance. " Bryan… What the heck are you doing?"

Relief flooded over him as he heard Kai talk. Slowly and carefully, he loosened his hold on the boy a little, but didn't dare to let go completely. " What do you think?" Understanding, he felt a flare of annoyance. " You haven't eaten anything all day, have you?" Reluctantly, Kai shook his head, and he gave a sigh. " C'mon, let's get you something to eat."

Giving a small nod, definitely not feeling like eating, Kai allowed his lavender-hared friend to lead the way. On the way, he suddenly frowned when sensing… something strange. It was almost like he'd been burned up inside. As he turned his gaze, he felt the burning become even stronger as he saw Tyson – and a stranger, who'd wrapped an arm around the smaller teen.

Puzzlement mixed with something close to terror as he felt the enormous stab of ache and… jealousy, could it possibly be?

No, no way. No chance in hell.

Shrugging off the pointless thoughts, he subconsciously leaned a bit closer to Bryan as another surge of weakness washed over him, wishing that the damn dizziness would disappear so he could finally think clearly.

* * *

Elsewhere in the huge area, Max – who'd been walking around to take a look at all the new equipment – suddenly tensed as he heard a familiar voice. " What do you think about that one?"

He turned around slowly, almost like one about to face a horrifying beast – and his eyes widened like those of prey's as he saw that the one standing nearby was indeed no one other than Emily York.

Normally, the plain sight of her would've sent his heart racing and his legs go limp, but now… those reactions came thousand times worse.

Because Emily wasn't alone.

The about little less than forty-years-old man with mahogany hair diverted his blue eyes, scratching his chin in deep concentration. " Weak defense-ring", he announced. " But the attack-ring seems strong enough. If the blader manages to gain some balance…"

The man kept talking, but Max didn't hear another word. Panic pumped through his veins.

_Crap, crap, crap, crap…_

If the man would see him, he'd never be able to keep up the 'just friends'-act with Emily they played pretty much always when there was someone else than closest friends around. And if – or rather when – he'd crack… he was as good as dead. That much he knew about Emily's dad.

He was just considering fleeing the scene, when all luck abandoned him. Probably sensing his stare, the man (who at the moment seemed terrifyingly huge to him) turned around, and his eyes locked with Max's terrified ones. " And who would you be?"

Emily's blue eyes filled with something between horror, joy and amusement when she saw him. " Max!" Quickly regaining her cool, she looked at her father. " Dad, this is Max, from the Bladebreakers."

" Oh yes, the famous Max." There was this unnerving look in the man's eyes Max couldn't find a name to. " Emily's been talking quite a lot about you."

Max blinked idiotically. " Oh?" Trying to gather his wits, he scratched his head. " I… I hope it's all good."

As the man gave a smile, Max wasn't sure if it was a friendly one or homicidal. " Good indeed. Now, if you excuse us… We're in a bit of a hurry…"

" Oh, don't let me hold you!" Max chirped much too enthusiastically to his own liking, and helplessly tried to cover it with a nervous laughter.

Emily's father gave him a rather odd look. " Well, we'll be spending a month in Japan. I hope we'll meet again – perhaps we could share some thoughts over beyblading."

Max forced a pathetic, stiff smile. " Yeah… Eh… That would be… nice…" _Oh man… This is seriously bad…_

The man took a look at his watch. " Well, I suppose we should go now. Bye, Max… Tate, right?"

He gulped, almost able the breathe again. " Yeah… Bye."

As the duo walked pass, Emily and Max exchanged a quick brush of hands. With them gone, Max gave a small moan of utter anxiety. " Oh damn… I'm dead…"

How the heck had he managed to get himself into a mess like this?

* * *

Tyson didn't know for how long he'd spent in the toilet, hiding from Kai, Seiji and the rest of the damn world. About million people had came and went through the door before he finally managed to stop the tears of frustration and agony from flowing.

He was just finished up with washing his face, when the door opened – and he tensed all over when seeing Ray through the mirror, stood right behind him.

Great… Some more ice was exactly what he needed…

For several moments they remained in silence. To both their surprise, Ray was the one to crack first. " Ty… I'm sorry."

He blinked, struck stunned. " For what?"

" For… acting like a two-year-old." Giving a deep sigh, the neko-jin ran a hand through his hair. " Look… It's good to have you back. We've all missed you like hell. It's just…"

" … a little weird?" he offered. Relief, so intense that it almost overwhelmed him, rushed through his veins, and he couldn't help smiling. " Trust me, it's not any less weird to be back."

Ray gave a smile, and for a while they didn't speak while the raven-haired teen washed his hands, and Tyson pulled his blue hair – that'd grown to meet his middle-back – onto a ponytail. It wasn't until he saw the look upon Ray's face change did he realize what he was revealing. Through the mirror, he could see the vivid bruise on his neck, left by yet another one of Senji's… outbursts.

_Oh shit…_

" Tyson…" Ray gulped, obviously hating what he had to ask. " Did Senji…? Is he…?"

He shook his head quickly, frantically. " No, no, no!" With all the experience from visits to hospitals and questions from doctors and friends, he found a satisfying lie effortlessly. " He just… likes to bite."

Understanding flashed pass Ray's face. " Oh…" For a long moment, the boy pondered over his next words, then spoke hesitantly. " You know… There was a… reason to why I asked if you love Seiji."

Tyson immediately felt himself go defensive. His voice came out rather harshly. " Why is that?"

" Because someone already has your heart. And Seiji isn't that person."

Tyson's pulse shot up immediately, and even without looking into the mirror he could tell his cheeks adapted a nice, red tint. " Look, if you think I have feelings for Kai…"

" I don't think", Ray interrupted. " I know. And I just… I hope you won't get both of you hurt."

His stormy eyes flashed. " I would never hurt him!"

Ray's gaze filled with sadness. " I know you don't mean to, but…" The boy shook his head, looking away. " Look… Be careful, 'k? Kai… He's already… having it rough."

Tyson felt his face form a frown, and his chest felt very tight all of a sudden. It wasn't until then he realized that he'd last seen Kai in a hospital. And what he'd heard Tala say… " Ray, is there something wrong with Kai? Is he… sick or something?"

Ray gave exasperated sigh, shaking his head. " I… I think you should talk to Kai. I've already said too much." The boy gave a ghost of a smile. " See you around." And he was gone before Tyson could ask another thing.

* * *

Some hours had passed by the time Tyson entered the huge ball-room. His head was so busy with thoughts that he paid no attention to the people staring at him in awe – the return of the two-time champion was definitely something to get exited about.

The image of Kai against Bryan mixed with the chilling words spoken by Ray and Tala, and at the moment… he didn't have a slightest clue of what to do with the pieces of puzzle he had.

Thank goodness Seiji had gone home because of migraine so the boy didn't see him like this! It… definitely wouldn't have been pleasant.

He almost screamed with surprise and startle when he suddenly bumped into someone. Looking up, he felt his heart jump far beyond his throat as he encountered a breathtaking pair of auburn eyes. " K- Kai?"

Looking into the amazing stormy eyes before him, Kai felt all breath caught into his throat. He was almost too messed up to hear Tyson's words that seemed to come from a mile away. " I… I'm so sorry… for leaving back then." As he still couldn't utter a word, Tyson's eyes filled with immense darkness and pain. " I'll just… go. It's probably the best."

To both their shock, Kai's hand made a lightning-fast movement, graphing the younger teen's wrist. The boy's face was filled with disbelief as their gazes met. " You sure?"

And finally, Kai found his voice, though it was small and hoarse. " Yeah."

First, they didn't have a clue of what should happen next. But when the music started to play, everything became clear. It was almost like something had slid to place.

The first movements – brushes of fingers, closeness, the warmth they both emitted – felt awkward, and neither was quite sure of what to do. But then… It felt like they'd slid into some other world, another dimension.

Smoothly, Kai encircled his arms around Tyson's waist and pulled the smaller teen closer, making them both shiver with something unnamed and unnerving. Feeling a surge of heat storm through his veins, Tyson held on to Kai as tightly as he possibly could, leaning his forehead against the taller teen's shoulder. Almost like of their own accord his eyes slid closed, and as they started to move smoothly in perfect sync all that existed to him was Kai.

Kai, on the other hand, felt such a turmoil of emotions go through him that he had no idea of how to handle it all. He was trembling so furiously that it was a miracle Tyson didn't notice it.

It felt so good to touch Tyson after such a long time – far too good. He… He'd sworn that he wouldn't feel this way with anyone, not ever again.

He wouldn't cause another wound to anyone – especially to someone like Tyson.

Relief and disappointment fought furiously over control when the music died down, and Tyson's arms slowly slid from his waist, leaving him feeling very cold.

For a long moment they looked at each other, oblivious to the numerous pairs of baffled eyes on them, both at a loss of words. Eventually, Kai only found his breath. " Sorry", he whispered, then walked away as fast as he could, ignoring the people who moved from his way.

As Tyson stared at Kai disappearing and joining Bryan by the doorway, he felt like someone had ripped his heart right out of his chest. And the twinge only grew much worse as he saw the rather nasty look Bryan shot his way.

Because at that point, the boy who'd during his life defeated pretty much everything, felt something entirely different.

This battle was lost.

Would he have seen the look upon Kai's face, he would've known that the truth was the polar opposite.

* * *

The first noise Kenny heard when entering the dorm-room he and Zeo shared was one of someone heaving. Chills immediately ran through him. " Zeo?"

As the only reply he got was a sound of toilet being flushed, he frowned and approached the bathroom door. Never before had he felt such shock he did when finding Aimi leaning to the sink, tears streaming down her cheeks. She'd never seemed that weak and fragile before, he thought, near-panic crushing his heart. Not even when she'd been under the heaviest of chemotherapy.

* * *

" A – Aimi?" And then, unimaginable coldness reached even the core of his being as he realized. " Oh God…" Suddenly, everything made so much sense. Why Aimi was still so weak, why there was no longer that mischievous spark in her eyes that'd enchanted him. Why she seemed like she'd… given up.

It wasn't until then she saw him. Her eyes filled with terror as she knew what he'd figured out. " I… I didn't want to… tell you…"

Kenny gulped and blinked furiously, the entire world falling apart and spinning madly at the same time. This just… This wasn't happening… " Have you… Does Zeo know?"

She shook her head, wiping away the tears with a trembling hand. " I… I just can't. I know what it'll do to him." And then, she broke down to tears again, unable to hide her emotions for another second, sick of acting tough and strong. " I… Kenny, I don't want to die. Not yet."

Bravely fighting back his own tears, Kenny wrapped his arms tightly around her shuttering frame, pulling her as close as humanly possible. But no matter how tightly he held her, he could still feel her slipping through his fingers.

And nothing could've caused greater pain.

* * *

Rather late that same night, it was so quiet that Tyson could actually hear the sound of his slightly wheezing breath as he sat on a couch, legs brought against his chest in a helpless, protective manner. The gaze of his vacant eyes was locked to the storm raging outside while his hand squeezed on to something that'd became one of his most precious belongings during the time he'd been running from his fears, and long before.

It was the same picture of he and Kai he'd roughly thrown to the floor the night he'd left. The one thing that kept him grasping on to the thin ray of hope, despite everything.

" Hey, what are you still doing up?" The rather sleepy voice of Seiji's made his heart skip several beats.

_Oh damn…_

If Seiji would see that picture… the boy would never understand. Tyson knew there was no way he'd be able to explain.

" I couldn't sleep." Quickly, in a movement that came fluently after such a long and hard practice, he unnoticeably wiped away his tears.

Once again, it was dead-silent. Tyson sat absolutely still, waiting, as time seemed to freeze along with his heart and breathing.

And then, everything seemed to happen in a recap. Faster than he could blink, Seiji was at his side, ripping the picture from his grasp. God, he'd never seen such fury he did at that moment in the boy's reddish-black eyes. In a flash of a moment, the treasure was ripped to thousands of pieces, and Tyson felt like the same thing had been done to his heart. " You may be a good liar, Tyson. But no, not this good." Before he knew it, he was whiskered to the floor like a crash test dummy, and he gave a yelp as he hit his head so badly that black dots danced upon his vision. " I'll make sure you'll _never_ lie to me again."

Tyson's heart almost burst of inhuman fear as he looked into the eyes that'd once been so filled with love, made such sweet promises that were now nothing more than dust in the wind. " S – Seiji… Please, d – don't… I… I'm not… I could never…"

Once again, breath stilled into his throat when the older youth suddenly pulled out a long knife that shone magically in the dim light cast by moon. The same light shone from Seiji's eyes as the boy kneeled down to his level. " You'll pay dearly for fooling me and making me look like a freaking idiot, _Tyka_", came a hiss that made cold shivers of utter terror run through Tyson's whole body. He started to tremble when the boy touched his neck gently, almost vigilantly, with the razor-sharp tip of the knife, eyes filling with something almost black. " No one makes a fool out of me, you'll see. No one – and especially not a pitiable, filthy weakling such as you."

After some moments, loud, heartbreaking scream of utter defeat and pain – much more emotional than physical – erupted from the dojo as Seiji made the final, ultimate sign of ownership, stealing away the last pure thing Tyson had left.

* * *

Making his way towards a hotel room, Ray didn't even notice he was almost holding his breath as his legs carried him towards the inevitable.

Kai's words rang in his ears while the right door approached.

" _Do you love him?"_

He had to do this, should've a long time ago.

Stood behind the door, he hesitated for several moments before he finally knocked, so quietly that he first thought it wouldn't be heard. He already turned around to leave, when a voice made him freeze to the spot. " Ray?"

Giving a loud, nervous gulp, the slowly turned around to meet a pair of suspicious, almost disbelieving blue eyes. " E – Enrique?" He gulped again. " What… What are you doing here?"

The boy, apparently, chose not to reply. " I could ask you the same thing. After all, you were missing for over two months."

Despite the twinge of quilt in his heart, Ray futilely tried to keep his face expressionless. " I… I have to see Oliver." It wasn't until then he realized that he hadn't yet heard Oliver's voice. The quilt quickly turned into immense worry. " Where is he?"

The alarms became far louder as Enrique's face fell ghostly-pale right before his eyes, and the boy visibly gulped. " Ray, he…" The boy had to search for his lost words for a time that seemed endless. When they finally came, they made Ray's head spin. " He… He's in a hospital. I was… on my way there. There were some… complications." One tear that chilled Ray far more than million meandered down the blonde's cheek. " The doctors… They're not sure… if he and the baby are going to make it."

* * *

When Zeo entered he and Kenny's dorm-room, he frowned when noticing that the lights were on.

When he'd left to go to family-counseling with his father, he'd left Aimi sleeping – the treatments she received were probably the reason to why she still often felt so tired. And Kenny never stayed up this late. So why…?

The answer filled him with something so foreign that it almost scared him. There, asleep on a couch, sat Kenny and Aimi, his arm wrapped protectively around her, and her head fallen against his shoulder.

Zeo Zagart had never felt jealousy before. But as he watched the sleeping couple, he couldn't help wondering what was happening to their little trio…

* * *

Result of some strange twist of fate, Tyson ended up sitting on a chair in a park quite near his grandpa's dojo. Cold, still raging storm-wind and pouring rain, even more freezing than the wind, caressed away the burning hot tears.

What the hell had just happened to him?

Giving a teary snivel, he buried his face into his knees that were brought against his chest, trembling violently.

What the hell was he going to do? He… He just couldn't face Seiji, not ever again. So where…?

And as though on cue, there was a familiar voice. " Tyson?"

Disbelief, terror and hope whirled inside his mind as he slowly, slowly lifted his gaze – to meet a pair of auburn eyes that'd once held fire no human-being could capture. _Kai?_ He immediately looked away in such humiliation he'd never felt before. " P – please… Don't… touch me… Please…"

And just then, Kai could see his face. Rage was no word to describe what flashed in his eyes as he saw the bruises all over his face, the blood on his clothes rain didn't manage to wash away. " That… bastard…" The eyes darkened. " Tyson, who the hell did this to you?"

Tears started to trickle down once more as Tyson shook his head vehemently, burying his face into his knees in immense shame and horror. " I… I don't want to… I can't…"

Kai nodded, understanding that there was point in pushing him any further. " 'K then. It… It's alright." Tyson jumped a little when he felt Kai's touch on his skin. Had it been anyone else, it would've terrified him in the emotional state he was in. But Kai's gentle touch… It calmed him and took away some of the shame, made it easier to breathe somehow. " Come on, we have to get you cleaned and warmed up. You'll catch a cold out here."

Head spinning, Tyson allowed Kai to help his weak, battered body up, and felt warm waves and shivers go through his trembling form as the boy wrapped his arm around him, holding him close.

And at that moment, despite all that'd been done to him, Tyson couldn't help feeling he was finally safe. Perhaps now the nightmare would end.

**¨**

From not too far away, a pair of furious eyes observed them. Seiji's fists clenched into tight balls when he saw Tyson lean his head against the other.

His eyes squinted to slits.

That boy had just made a huge mistake. Because he was going to get back what was his.

No matter what it would take.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Gosh, so much… emotions! Everyone's a mess, huh? I could seriously slaughter Seiji right now, but I can't do that yet, now can I? Besides, would death even be a cruel punishment enough?

So many questions… Will Seiji start out a war to get Tyson back? What'll happen to Kai – and Oliver, plus he and Ray's baby? (I hope you don't hate he being the other parent, btw! I don't think I saw any of you deeply hating the idea of mpreg – most of you seemed to love the idea. Oliver… was something I made to add a surprise-twist. Besides, I think they're a cute couple.) Which one of the boy's will Aimi choose before… well, her time's out? And what about poor Maxie? And hey, what the heck's the problem with Bryan? (**PLEASE**, **VOTE** how his feelings for Kai should turn out! I'm unable to decide!)

Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm the one who's supposed to answer. (sweatdrops) Ungh… I'm never gonna get this finished…

I hope I'll see you next time, everyone! And PLEASE, PLEASE, **PLEASE** give me a review! I know you want to! (gives a hypnotic, begging glance)


	4. In the eye of the storm

A/N: Ready or not, here's the new chapter! And well… It was honestly a struggle. There's tons of stress, and on top of it I'm having a bit of a writer's block, but I'm hoping it'll surpass soon. (sighs)

As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for those amazing reviews! I seriously can't believe you guys actually bother to review this silly little ficcy. (sniffs and sends out tons of hugs)

Owkay, as there seems to be no further… issues, let's move on, shall we? I really hope you'll like this chapter! In flashbacks, you'll have KaWy-moments and see some meaningful moments – including how Aimi first met Zeo and Kenny.

Hope this didn't turn out too bad.

* * *

**Chapter four: In the eye of the storm**

/ _As Enrique slowly opened the door in Robert's mansion, he immediately felt a clear, alarming jolt in the air. " Oliver?"_

_The green-hared boy was stood before the huge window of the room, back towards him so he couldn't see the other teen's face. The boy was completely still, arms crossed protectively over his chest._

_Very slowly, a part of him afraid of what he might find, Enrique lowered his gaze – and felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the pregnancy test placed onto a nearby table. A clear blue line could be seen. " Oliver…"_

" _Ray… He told me… this was possible. As he's a neko-jin." The French's voice was oddly deep and hoarse. " I… I should've been more careful."_

_Enrique gulped laboriously, not really knowing what to do or say. " What are you going to do?"_

_The other gave a bitter laughter. " Honestly? I have no idea." And with that, the usually rather calm and levelheaded boy burst into tears. " It's… it's been exactly a month from… from when we broke up, Enrique! And now…" The younger teen fought visibly to calm down, but didn't have much of success. " How the hell am I supposed to do this alone?"_

_Oliver's panic was understandable. As soon as they'd read about the two boys' six months old relationship from newspapers a couple of months back, both their families had announced that they were no longer welcomed home. It had all escalated a month earlier, when Ray – most likely terrified of what his village might come up to do to Oliver, as the French knew – had decided that they had no other choice but to break up. Ever since Ray had stayed in his dorm in Japan, and Oliver had spent time in Robert's mansion._

" _Oliver, you're not alone, so don't you dare think that way!" Enrique announced in a stern, yet gentle voice. " Ray… Even if that bastard ditched you, you still have your team. We're gonna back you up, no matter what you choose to do."_

" _Enrique, please don't talk about him like that." Still not looking at him, the French wiped his eyes, visibly shivering. " I… I know you guys are trying to help, and I appreciate it. But…"_

" … _you'd like to be alone?" Enrique filled in. Receiving a nod, he decided to leave the boy alone: there was no reason to upset Oliver even further. " Do you want me to tell Johnny and Robert?" He knew the two – knowing that there was something going on with Oliver – were waiting downstairs, anxiously wanting some news._

_Oliver shook his head. " I… I'll tell them myself… when I feel up to it. But now… I just need some time to… think."_

_Noticing that there was nothing more he could do, Enrique started to leave. He was, however, stopped once more by a small, shaky voice. " Oh, and Enrique?"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _Thanks."_

_As soon as Enrique had disappeared, Oliver broke down completely. Feeling desperation taking over, he could only wonder what the heck he was going to do with this mess._

_Little did he know that it was all just the beginning…_ /

* * *

Tears had dried to Ray's cheeks as he stood behind a door in a hospital, hand resting on the door-handle, desperately wanting to enter.

How ironic. Whether he admitted it to himself or not, he'd actually showed up in that freaking beyblade-festival in hopes of catching at least a slightest glimpse of Oliver – he'd figured the French would be there. And now that he was this close, he was too damn scared to even enter the room.

" You should go in, you know?" came a gentle female-voice.

Turning his gaze, he saw a thirty-years-old woman with amethyst hair and warm maroon eyes. She was Oliver's doctor – and the only one who even knew he was there.

He gave a shuttering sigh, bowing his head in pain and shame. " I… I can't", he whispered. " He and the baby… Why… why would they need someone like me? I don't even know…"

" Ray, I afraid I'll have to be brutally honest with you", the woman – Dr. Niamana – interrupted him, eyes filled with immense sorrow. " Oliver… His body isn't planned for a pregnancy. Both he and the baby are just barely hanging in there. And to be completely honest… I… I'm sorry, but I strongly doubt the baby will survive." She gave him a long moment to ingest the devastating words. " But… In the middle of all this, he's been holding on to the thought of you. And I can tell you've been doing the same thing." She gave a small, comforting smile. " I know you're young and scared, but… I also know that they need you. So… Try to hang on, okay?"

Head spinning with millions of thoughts, Ray gave a dull nod, and didn't even register when Dr. Niamana entered Oliver's room, leaving him alone.

Once again, he was torn in two.

It would be unfair to them both if he'd go inside not knowing what to do, he finally decided.

And that's why, though it hurt more than anything he'd ever done, he quickly turned around and rushed away, having a furious battle against tears.

_God, Oliver… I'm so sorry…_

* * *

The first thing Tyson felt when waking up was warmth. Not uncomfortable sort, but the kind that made him feel… safe, comforted.

But then, in a flash of a moment, came pain, radiating from what seemed to be every single corner of his being. Squeezing his eyes even more tightly shut, he gave a whimper and tried to wrap even more tightly into himself, as though that could've eased the agony.

" I'm not sure if I should be relieved or sorry about you finally being awake", suddenly came a voice that was alarmingly familiar to him. " Perhaps I should've taken you to a hospital after all. They could've patched you up far better than I."

Snapping his eyes open in utter shock, Tyson shifted to see if the voice truly belonged to who he almost desperately hoped it did – moving much too fast, as the searing pain from the series of wounds Seiji had caused told him. But all pain seemed to disappear as he met the familiar, worry- filled auburn eyes of Kai's, who was sitting by the bedside.

For several moments, all he could do was stare at the appearance he thought couldn't possibly be anything but a visage. Eventually, he managed to gather his wits enough for few, stuttered words. " Where… Where am I?"

" At my place", Kai replied, a hint of something strange – embarrassment and discomfort, perhaps – sneaking into his tone. " I… took you here last night and tried to treat your wounds. You were half-asleep for most of the time."

Tyson nodded, head buzzing with shock. The physical pain that'd once again returned didn't register due to the desperate hope that rose when he realized that he was actually at Kai's place, that… the boy had cared enough to help him.

" Ty… I know it's tough, but…" Kai's voice ripped him off of his mangling musings. Looking at the Russian, he found a pair of hesitant, yet deeply outraged eyes. " I'm still waiting to hear who did this to you."

Tyson's eyes immediately filled with terror as the sickening flashes of the night before flooded into his mind. " I… I don't want to tell…"

" Tyson, please!" He found himself shuttering – more with fear or excitement, he couldn't tell – as Kai's cool hand cupped his face, forcing him to look straight into the boy's by then glowing eyes. " I want to know!" And then, it hit Kai. The boy's eyes widened and lit into a flame of fury at the same time. " It… It was that guy who was with you in the festival, wasn't it? Your… your boyfriend."

Dear gods, Kai was going to make that asshole pay for hurting Tyson like this!

Tyson's eyes immediately widened as well when the boy shook his head determinedly, desperately. It was almost like the smaller teen had read Kai's thoughts. " I can't let you go after him!" he cried in near-panic, finding some tears of pain and terror forcing their way through. " I won't let you!"

Kai seemed mystified by the words. " Why not?"

But Tyson couldn't say another word. Sobbing, he once again brought his legs against his chest and hid his face into them.

Watching the hysterical younger teen, Kai gave a deep, miserable sigh of defeat. For a moment, he debuted if he should try to hug Tyson, do something to show that he was there, but then decided against it, thought the very idea of leaving the other like that slashed him. There was nothing he could do to make Tyson feel better, and he sure as hell didn't want to make things worse than he already had.

And once again, like some cruel curse, flashes of Wyatt came to his mind, reminding him bitterly of just how badly he'd failed.

* * *

/ _For a small, fleeting moment, Wyatt's eyes struggled to stay open as they bore into his auburn ones, desperately praying for him to hold on, to save him from his approaching fate. But then, almost like someone had flickered a switch, all life slowly faded from them, and the eyelids fell to rest for a one last time. And his body fell completely limp in Kai's arms._

_Kai felt his heart race in its extreme and his eyes widened with such terror that it can't be described by words. " Wyatt?" Receiving no response, he desperately pulled the boy closer to him and frantically stroked his soft, brown bangs, almost like trying to force the fallen boy to come back. " Wyatt, no! You… You can't…!" Realizing that his words had no affect, he felt tears dwelling into his eyes. Giving a tiny cry, he cradled the still warm body closer to him, buried his face into the silky hair that still held a scent of summery wind. Never had he shivered the way he did then, his hot, salty tears falling to the locks. " Come back… Please… I… I'm sorry… Please, wake up… Please…"_

_But there was never a reply._ /

* * *

Blinking furiously, Kai shot up from the bed, much too fast as his head spun in protest. He had to support himself against the bed for a while to get his head sorted out. " You want some painkillers?" receiving a small nod as a reply, he slowly, cautiously, walked out of the room.

As soon as he was out of Tyson's eyes, he leaned his back against a wall and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, biting his lip so roughly that it definitely left a mark. Despite all the struggle, some tears spilled. " Damnit, Wyatt…"

After so many scars, he should've controlled these feelings better…

A somewhat cautious knock from the door snapped him awake from those thoughts. After steeling himself for several minutes, he forced himself to walk up to the door. Opening, he practically jumped when meeting a pair of familiar, lavender eyes.

It took for a moment before he found his voice. " Bry? What…?"

" My flight takes off soon", the other replied in Russian. " I just… thought I should see you first."

He cocked an eyebrow. " To see if I'm alive and kicking?"

Bryan gave a smirk. " Something like that." Unnerving chills went through Kai as the boy looked at him with this undetectable gaze, and grew even worse as a soft, cool hand brushed his chin. " You know… It could've been great."

" Yeah…" His auburn eyes darkened. " If it wasn't for Wyatt."

Meaningful look appeared into Bryan's eyes. " And someone else."

Kai shook his head vehemently, gaze filled with steel and such pain that it must've came from deep within the core of his being. " Never again, Bryan. I'll never let myself feel that way for anyone else again. I… I can't."

Bryan shrugged. " Whatever you say." To both their shock, the boy suddenly wrapped his arms around Kai's slender form, holding the boy. " Just… Take care of yourself, 'k?" With a one last touch on his cheek, the boy backed away towards the door. " Bye, firebird."

Kai gave a small, feeble smile. " Bye. See you soon."

As soon as the door was closed, he gave a deep frown, sinking into his thoughts. What if… What if against all laws of nature Bryan was right?

What the hell would he do then?

He quickly shook his head with such determination that his eyes lit into a flame. " Never again", he whispered to himself.

What he didn't know was that Tyson, feeling he needed to use a bathroom, had gotten up from his bed – and seen the short encounter of he and Bryan's.

Bravely biting back tears, the bluenette slid soundlessly to the bathroom.

* * *

**Two weeks later.**

* * *

In a soundless mutual understanding, Tyson – despite the fact that it was almost unbearably hard – stayed with Kai, as he didn't know where else to go. And with all he had to recover from, he wasn't exactly in the condition to start rebuilding everything. Thankfully, Kai didn't seem to mind him staying over too much - which was weird, actually, as the Russian had always been the most private type. And the boy had also been kind enough not to let all the others know: Tyson sure as hell had enough on his mind even without the others hovering over him with all their worry and pity.

Chills ran down the bluenette's neck as he entered his grandpa's dojo, followed closely by Kai. In a flash of a second, all the memories he'd been running from came rushing back, so painful that he jolted visibly.

Kai, alert as always, naturally noticed this, and gave a deep frown. " Ty? Are you okay?"

Gulping thickly to fight away nausea, Tyson gave a tiny, shallow nod, trembling all over as he looked around the house Seiji had apparently decided to abandon. " Y – yeah…", he muttered. " Just… jumpy." Discovering that the nausea was nothing but deteriorating, he figured he'd better run for it. The memories… They were just too much. " I… I've gotta go…"

Watching the boy dash towards the bathroom, Kai felt his chest hurt unlike ever before. Grief and rage tangled together as they bubbled through his veins, so powerfully that he was almost overwhelmed.

Scared of his feelings, he shook his head and stepped further – only to feel another wave, this time one close to repulsion, go through him as he saw the devastation. " Oh god…"

So much of furniture had been smashed… And in the middle of everything, droplets of blood – Tyson's, he knew with unwavering certainty – had spread all over. The place he'd always considered cozy was now like a battle-field.

His shocked, sadness- and fury-filled eyes scanned through the room, widened by horror. Nearby the fallen couch, there were pieces of photograph that'd been torn to so many pieces that it could no longer be recognized. And then… It was almost impossible not to throw up when he saw the long, sharp knife laying there, covered by dried blood.

His eyes flashed with such fury he'd never felt before, so strong that it scared him.

All rage, however, died down when he heard a small, pitiable sniff. Slowly, not willing to see the tears that ripped his heart, he turned around to see Tyson stood by the doorway. True enough, tears trailed their way down the boy's paled cheeks. The look of the bluenette's widened, teary eyes was locked to the knife.

And at that moment, Kai understood. It was impossible to tell which feeling was strongest – hatred, sadness, shock or nausea – when the though hit him, much harder than a bullet. " He… did _it_ to you, didn't he?" That's why Tyson had been so scared, so lost… Something precious had been stolen away from him – by someone who was supposed to love him, respect him, protect him.

His heart stuttered with wrath as Tyson gave a scarcely evident nod, looking away in shame.

Oh no, Kai wasn't going to be satisfied with just making that piece of shit pay, not anymore. He was going to kill that guy.

But then, once again, the painful sight of the bluenette's tears once again melted the fury. That bastard had shattered Tyson so badly. Somebody would have to pick up the pieces.

Tyson had never felt such shame he did when standing there before Kai's eyes, all revolting secrets revealed. Gosh, he hadn't felt that filthy and used even when Seiji had…

The flood of dangerous thoughts was, however, suddenly cut when he felt a pair of arms wrapping around him. He shuttered at first, but soon relaxed when realizing that this touch wasn't meant to harm him. " It's… It's alright, Ty", Kai's unnaturally soft voice whispered into his ear. " I promise you."

Hearing those words, Tyson lost control over himself completely. Breaking down, he graphed Kai's shirt as tightly as he possibly could and buried his face into the taller teen's chest, giving a loud sound that resembled a howl.

Holding on to the bluenette, Kai suddenly felt fear sneaking into his mind as he took everything in.

Tyson… The boy was putting all his trust in him, leaned onto him. And he… was hardly managing to hold it all together for even himself. How the heck was he supposed to be able to hold on for them both?

But while tightening his hold on the smaller boy, he decided that he'd have to try – for Tyson's sake, if not his own.

They both jumped when the sound of his cell-phone ringing sliced the thick, dark atmosphere. Fishing it out, Kai noticed it was Bryan and growled inwardly. If he wouldn't pick up, the boy would keep calling him every thirty seconds.

He gave Tyson an apologetic look before walking a bit further and taking the call. " Hey."

" _Well hey to you too_", Bryan replied in Russian. " _Thought I should call you, just in case you've forgotten about me._"

Kai sighed, running a hand through his hair. " Sorry… I've just…" He gave Tyson a swift glance. " … been kinda busy." He then cocked a knowing eyebrow. " But I suppose you didn't call me just to inform you're alive."

There was a heavy sigh. " _Look… Tala told me you're not taking your pills again. And you're also not eating properly._"

Watching Kai talking, Tyson couldn't understand another word. But ironically, that only made it harder. The looks upon Kai's face were ever-changing, undetectable. The tone sifted between amusement and annoyance, but never lost the slight softness it held – the one Tyson (selfishly or not) would've wanted all to himself. But what stung the most was the small smile that flashed upon Kai's pale face as the Russian was finishing the phone-call. It was something he hadn't been able to get out of the boy ever since he came back. And the thought of someone else earning it instead… felt like salt had been rubbed into open wounds.

" I suppose there were some things you wanted to take along", Kai's voice woke him from his thoughts.

He nodded awkwardly, pain tormenting his whole body. " Yeah", he replied, voice stiff and sharp. " Let's just get this over and done with, okay? I've got a headache."

**¨**

Chilling silence remained as the couple entered Kai's apartment about an hour later, Tyson carrying a small box of his most precious belongings.

Kai, confused by the other's sudden coldness, decided that they'd have to talk. " Tyson, what's wrong? Have I…?"

" My headache is killing me", the bluenette cut in, voice jagged and rough, deeply unlike the one Kai'd grown used to. " Just… I need those damn pills, 'k?"

Tyson immediately regretted his tone when he saw a flash in Kai's eyes, but despite all trying couldn't find to strength for apology.

And then the moment was lost, and he was alone with his thoughts.

Not only did he have to fight against Wyatt's ghost, but now there was also Bryan? Suddenly, the pain memories of Seiji had caused felt like nothing.

As Kai just looked at him, seeming like he wasn't about to leave, Tyson chose to help himself. " I'll probably find those pills myself."

Kai never had the time to stop him before he was in kitchen, and had ripped the door of the medicine-cabinet open – and his heart almost stopped with shock. " What the hell is this?"

All those pills… Having seen a psychiatrist for a while – ironically, he'd met Seiji at psychiatrist's waiting-room – he'd read about them from magazines. Those tablets, Kai's tablets… Sleeplessness, depression, anxiety…

" I never wanted you to see those."

Spinning around, eyes filled with something between shock and rage, he looked at the dual-hared teen stood by the doorway. " Kai… What… What is this?" Receiving no reply, he found himself starting to shiver with terror. " What's wrong with you?"

At first, Kai opened his mouth to roar, to argue, to say… anything, absolutely anything at all. But words wouldn't work for him.

And that's why he did what he'd always known best. He turned around and ran.

* * *

There was soft, almost intoxicating scent of flowers in the room when Ray slowly, cautiously pushed the door open, peering in. It had taken for far too long, but now he'd finally gathered the courage to step in.

Tears immediately almost spilled at what he saw.

There, on the bed with his face almost as white as the sheets, was Oliver. The green-hared teen's breathing was deep and even – Ray couldn't tell if he was asleep or drugged. The only sound heard was the slightly unsteady, almost faint beeping that came from heart-monitor.

He gulped laboriously. " Ollie?"

When only silence replied him, he approached ever so slowly, some part of him almost afraid that the other would wake up. Gently – mindful of the tubes connected – he took Oliver's hand, giving it a tiny squeeze.

His poor heart almost failed him when Oliver's eyes – the same he'd fallen in love with – suddenly fluttered slightly open, gazing at him with confusion and fatigue. It took a while before the boy finally seemed to recognize him. For several moments, they simply stared at each other, neither knowing what to say. " You know…", Oliver suddenly whispered, licking his dry lips. " I had… a strangest dream. We… We had a daughter – I think her name was Iana… She was just like an angel…" A small, tired smile came to the half-asleep boy's face. " I'm still dreaming, aren't I?"

Biting back tears, Ray shook his head, squeezing the boy's hand a bit more tightly. " No."

" Then…" The boy frowned. " How can you… be there? I thought…"

Ray didn't even notice the tears running to his cheeks. " I… Gosh, I'm so sorry, Oliver… I should've…" Unable to find words, he shook his head. " I'm so sorry…"

Oliver shook his head as well, visibly swallowing down his own tears. " Not yet." Giving it a long, hard thought, the boy slowly moved, making him room. Seeing his dumbfounded look, the boy pouted. " What? It's cold… in here."

Giving a teary chuckle, Ray carefully followed the boy's call, laying himself down beside the other. He wrapped his arms as tightly around Oliver as possible without harming him, pulling the French as close as he possibly. It was a hopeless attempt to protect the smaller teen – not to mention the feeble life inside the boy – and came much too late, but at the moment, it was all he could do.

Having half-subconsciously closed his eyes, he was startled when Oliver suddenly gave a tiny gasp. Worry squeezing his chest so tightly that it was hard to breathe, he opened his eyes. " What's wrong?"

Slowly, a smile came to Oliver's face. The boy softly took his hand, guiding it to the bump that could just be seen. " I want you to feel this."

For a moment, Ray couldn't feel a thing – until there was this small, just evident yet stubborn thrust as the baby made itself announced. He couldn't help but laugh, this time through tears of happiness. " Oh gosh… A feisty one…" A warm feeling unlike anything he'd felt before flooded over him, so strong that it almost stole his breath. Sniffing, he looked into Oliver's eyes that radiated the same feelings. " Do you hope it's a girl?"

Oliver smiled. " I know." Suddenly, the look became much more solemn. " Look… Once I'm more awake… we'll have to talk, 'k? I need to know… you won't disappear again… For all of us."

Gulping, Ray nodded. " I know."

As Oliver slowly drifted into a fitful sleep – most likely because of strong medication – Ray sunk into his thoughts, stroking the boy's lime-green locks.

How the hell would they be able to do this? Heck, in about five months, they'd become parents. He was only seventeen, Oliver just turned fifteen! And they were supposed to take care of someone? Gosh… Even the mere thought sounded bizarre!

Giving a deep sigh, he wrapped his arms a bit more tightly around Oliver, pulling to boy close to him, and buried his face into the lime-green locks, taking in their familiar scent. And all he could do was pray that in some miraculous way, this whole mess would turn out okay.

* * *

The chemistry-class was – to say the least – uncomfortable experience for Kenny, who was – due to the absence of his partner – forced to sit with Zeo and Aimi. Having to hide the truth of Aimi's condition, along with his emotions, was driving him crazy. And it didn't make matters any easier that the old, rat-looking teacher was talking about how different chemical elements react to each other. Plus the teacher constantly attacked him with basically impossible questions, which also didn't make the situation any more comfy.

A huge sigh of relief escaped Kenny when the bell finally rang, ending to torment, and he started to pack up his back. One more minute of that, and he would've lost the last bits of sanity sleepless nights and stress had left.

The relief, however, soon vanished when he saw queasiness flash upon Aimi's much too pale face. " I… I think I should go to the toilet", she murmured.

Zeo – obviously not knowing the full gravity of the situation – smiled a little, and gave her forehead a kiss. " 'K. See you after the next class."

As she walked away, Kenny felt himself shivering at the icy silence that fell between him and Zeo. Looking at his friend, he gave a deep frown. " You've been acting like I'd killed someone for over two weeks", he noted. " What's going on?"

The flash he saw in Zeo's eyes almost scared him. " Kenny… When I first met Aimi, she was the best thing that'd ever happened to me. Still is. She… She's the one who convinced me I was worthy of being treated as a human."

* * *

/ _Like being defeated by Tyson and losing his chances to become human hadn't been enough…_ (1)

_Zeo's entire body was shivering as he was slumped to the floor, legs tightly pressed against his chest and arms wrapped around them, in that hopeless gesture trying to shield himself against the whole damn world. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut and teeth gritted as he tried to block out all the agony. The pain shooting from his various cuts and bruises could almost outshine the one pressing his chest._

_After those words from Tyson… he'd for a slightest second felt like… a human-being, like he'd deserved his place on the phase of this damn planet. But after that… He wasn't sure if there'd been four or five of them, but they'd attacked him with such force and cruelty that for a fleeing moment, he'd been sure they'd kill him – maybe they'd even intended to._

_But no. His pitiable existence still continued, whether he wanted it or not._

" _Oh my gosh…" His world was so blurry that he barely registered the words. His heart jumped with startle when a hand suddenly brushed his face. " Zeo… Who did this to you?"_

_Slowly, with such effort that it was almost impossible, he inched his eyelids to meet a girl kneeled beside her. The halo of light shining from behind her made her frost-blue hair and whitish face glow with this amazing, almost unearthly light. He gasped with astonishment, completely forgetting all pain. " … an angel…"_

_She gave a small laughter. " Hardly. Just someone who saw the battle between you and Tyson and loved it." She then became quite a bit more solemn. " Look, you need a doctor, alright? I… I can't carry you alone. Can you stand?"_

_Zeo blinked, utterly puzzled. " Why… are you so… nice?" His eyes filled with shame, and his head fell a little as he was too embarrassed to meet her gaze. " Don't you… know… what I am?"_

" _Of course I know." Her voice… It was so gentle, lazed with acceptance. " You are Zeo Zagart. And whoever did this to you… is a asshole." With her hand, she forced him to look at her. " Now, can you get up?"_

_Zeo tried as hard as he possibly could, but the pain was just too much. Rather ungracefully, he slumped back to the concrete-floor, swallowing tears of frustration. " I… I can't…"_

" _It's okay", she reassured him, beginning to leave. " I'm gonna get some help, 'k?"_

" _No!" Even he was shocked by his fervent tone. " Please… Don't… leave… Please?"_

_For a slightest moment she hesitated, then smiled and gave a nod, slumping down next to him. For a couple of moments they remained in silence – Zeo's vision constantly blurring more – before she spoke in a soft tone that held tightly restrained anger. " They did this because you're a cyborg, didn't they?"_

_He gave a slight nod, once again too ashamed to meet her eyes. " Yeah, but… I earned this… I… I'm not… human."_

_He jumped when she all of a sudden gently graphed his hand, giving it a tender squeeze. " You can feel this, right?" Baffled, he replied with a nod, deserving yet another smile that made his heart do back-flips. " In that case… you're human enough for me. Much more so than those creeps."_

_Feeling strangely warm and secure, he dared to let his eyes slip closed and leaned his head against her safe shoulder, unable to sit upright anymore. And darkness took him under its wing._

_The next time he woke up, he was in a hospital. The doctors told that a girl with blue hair and purple eyes had brought him in, only to disappear straight after. And for two months, all recovering Zeo could do was dream about her – not knowing how much she dreamed of him, too. Until one day, after he'd spent a month as a member of the Bladebreakers, she also joined the team, and he finally found out that her name was Aimi Naikoma. Five months later, he at last dared himself to give her a single rose – a sign of promise that was never broken since._ /

* * *

The tears gathering into Zeo's eyes ripped Kenny's heart to pieces. " She… She's the only one… who's ever made me feel that way, Kenny. And… She's the only one who could ever care about me like that."

He gulped laboriously. " Zeo… I'm so sorry…"

The green-hared teen shook his head, rapidly getting up. " I've gotta go." And with that, the boy disappeared faster than he could think.

Giving a loud, agonized groan, Kenny buried his face into his hands, feeling like a knife had been plunged through his chest.

He… He cared about Aimi, more than any words could say. But… He couldn't do this, not to a friend, especially not now when every moment Aimi and Zeo had was precious. There was no way he could steal that away from them. But… Every time he had to deny his feelings, feel how far what he desired most was, a part of him died. How long would it take before there was nothing left of him?

He buried his face even more tightly with his hands, shoulders beginning to quake. " What the hell am I going to do?"

* * *

/ _For some strange reason, Kenny had huge problems with finding sleep. Eventually he decided that rolling around in the bed would only cause a back-pain and got up, heading outside._

_After a full hour's sauntering, some trick of fate lead him to a garden-like park he'd never been in before. The enchanting, heavy scent of flowers made him feel like he'd been walking in a whole another planet, completely outside this universe and all its rules._

_And suddenly, he saw something that made the feeling grow even stronger. He immediately froze, eyes growing huge, and blinked as he stared at the heavenly sight before him._

_In the middle of all the flowers sat a girl with blue hair and purple eyes. She had no idea of him – all her attention was on the small, extremely beautiful bird that sat on her hand, showing no fear at all. It took a while for him to realize that the nearly hypnotizing sound was her voice singing._

_Carefully, he took a small step forward – and the magic was broken. Startled, the bird flew off, and the girl stopped singing in surprise, turning her gaze to look at him. And from that moment on, nothing was the same for Kenny._

_Two months later, the girl – who introduced herself as Aimi – joined the Bladebreakers. And that's when things started to get complicated. Because apparently, Kenny wasn't the only one who's heart the hummingbird had charmed…_ /

* * *

It took a long time before Kenny was finally in the condition to leave the classroom. Once he did, the thing he found from the hallway was far from what he wanted to see.

" C'mon, Aimi!" a hazel-hared boy, probably a bit younger than Aimi, pleaded, his two friends stood behind him. " Just a quick little battle."

" Yeah!" one of his friends, a boy with purplish-orange hair, joined in, begging look in his ocean-colored eyes. " It would be so cool to battle a ex-Bladebreaker! Nothing could beat that!"

A small smile tugged exhausted-looking Aimi's lips. " Well, if it means so much to you guys…"

At that point, Kenny couldn't hold his overprotective side back for another second. " You know well you shouldn't be pushing yourself like that!" he exclaimed.

Seeing the dangerous flash his statement lit into Aimi's eyes, the ones challenging her quickly fled the scene, probably deciding they didn't want to witness a bloodbath.

" What's the worst that could happen?" she snorted, purple eyes darkening and blazing. " That I'd die?" The girl shook her head, visibly gulping down tears. " Let's face it, Kenny. It's a bit too late to worry now."

Kenny's eyes immediately flashed. " I won't let you give up like this!"

A tear ran down Aimi's cheek, pale as she felt very dizzy all of a sudden. " I'm dying!" she almost yelped, head spinning so badly that she had to support herself against the wall. " What's the point… with being so damn careful?"

Kenny didn't know if he was more terrified or annoyed as he graphed her hand. " Aimi, don't be ridiculous! You're too tough to go down like this!"

Aimi's somewhat hazy eyes were filled with confusion as they met his. Her forehead formed a deep frown. " Why… do you care so much?" And then, looking at him, her eyes widened with deep understanding as his biggest secret became unraveled underneath her gaze. " Kenny…"

Feeling a lump forming into his throat, Kenny managed to wheeze. " I… I never meant to… I'm sorry…"

She, however, plainly shook her head, looking away. " Please, not now… I…"

But she never had the chance to finish. So suddenly that it startled Kenny to near-death, the girl's eyes slid closed and her knees gave way, causing her to slump straight into his arms.

His eyes widened with shock and horror unlike anything he'd felt before. " A – Aimi?" He paid no heed to the people gathering around them as he sunk to the floor with her limp body in his arms, his heart working on its limits. " Aimi, wake up!" He shook her, and felt his whole chest squeeze into a small, tight ball when there was no reaction whatsoever. " AIMI!"

* * *

About an hour later, the hospital's waiting room was slowly packing up with people as a worried group of friends gathered in, panicked looks in their eyes.

By the time Ray barged in, heart bounding with panic, almost everyone was there. Zeo was phasing around the room with his hands crossed over his chest, lost look in his agony-filled eyes. Kenny, on the other hand, seemed almost paralyzed as he'd slumped onto one seat, terror, grief and something close to quilt flashing in his eyes. It was evident both boys had been crying quite a bit. Tala and Hilary were stood before a window, the girl slightly leaned back towards the boy's comforting warmth, and the boy's hand holding hers in a subtle comforting gesture.

Hearing the door being opened, all four quickly lifted their gazes, but disappointment could clearly be seen upon their faces when they noticed it was just him. " Have you guys heard anything?" he inquired in a tense voice.

Zeo shook his head in what seemed to be utter defeat. " Those idiots will only talk to her parents, and… Honestly, I doubt they'll even show up", the boy replied, voice filled with anger and bitterness.

Feeling his eyes sting almost unbearably, Ray blinked courageously and nodded. A frown came to his face when he suddenly remembered something. " Where's Kai?"

Tala shook his head, and Ray felt a nasty flash of worry when seeing the anxious look in the boy's ice-blue eyes. " I've tried to call him about million times, but he won't answer his cell-phone." The redhead frowned. " You should know… When I called his home, Tyson was there."

Pieces clicking, Ray gave a sigh, rubbing his face with one hand. " Oh damnit… Those two…" He shook his head. " I'll better go and find…"

Just then, as if on cue, the door slid open. Once again everyone looked up to see Kai entering. The dual-hared boy's eyes were red and puffy, and despite the jacket on him he seemed visibly cold from walking outside for so long. " Sorry I'm so late", he muttered, seeming embarrassed for all the eyes on him.

Glancing towards the wrist Kai was evidently trying to hide, Ray arched a suspicious eyebrow, but before he got the chance to ask anything the door opened once again.

This time in came a girl with definitely eye-catching black and white Mohawk, pierced nose, eyebrow and jaw, plus a pair of somewhat familiar rich, purple eyes that at the moment held tears and such anxiety that it made everybody's heart skip several beats. On her she had black leather pants, a dark-purple tank-top and black fingerless gloves. She was Akira, Aimi's a year and half younger little sister.

A loud gulp came from Zeo's direction. " Akira… What… what's wrong? Is she…?" He couldn't push himself into saying the last word.

The girl sniffed. " I… I don't know how to… how to tell you this, so…" She sniffed again. " You guys… She… She's dying."

It felt like a cold, dark wave had flooded over them all. Tala's arms enclosed around trembling and crying Hilary's waist, as the almost crying boy for once resigned from caring if his feelings were showing. Ray, eyes growing watery, gave a tiny, helpless and broken 'no'. Feeling colder than ever in his life, Kai wrapped his arms around himself, ghostly-pale face becoming terrifyingly blank – almost like all emotions had been sucked out of him by that single sentence. Zeo, feeling as though he'd been shot, fell to his seat when all strength left him, saltwater welling into his eyes.

Kenny, on the other hand, seemed to be too much in a shock to react in any way. Although he'd known all this for a while, it was still unbearable to hear it said out loud. His hazy eyes were impossibly large as he looked at the still sniffing girl. " Can… Can we… see her?"

Gulping down her tears, Akira shook her head, seeming to shiver. " She's quite doped up now, and… she has fever. They talked about… pneumonia or something." Visibly picking herself up, she wiped her eyes with a trembling hand. " I… I think you should… go home and get some rest, 'k? She… won't be in a condition to talk before tomorrow, so…"

" No!" Zeo, finally woken up from his trance, snarled, furiously shaking his head. " I won't go, not before seeing her!" Once again, tears found their way to his cheeks. " I… I have to… Please…"

Seeing his anguish, Akira just couldn't bring herself to say no. Unable to find words, she plainly gave a barely detectable nod.

* * *

Shadows were dancing in the small dorm-room while Tala was stood before a window, arms crossed over his chest in a protective manner.

Everything felt just so surreal… In the Abbey, he'd lost more friends than he could count. And even before that, all the people he'd claimed to love had been torn away from him – his parents, his sister… But… That was supposed to be over now. He wasn't supposed to keep losing his friends anymore!

Aimi… Aside Kai, she'd been the one who'd showed him how he really felt towards Hilary. Just like the Demolition Boys and naturally Hilary, the two were his soul remaining family.

Now… They were both in danger to slide away – or in Aimi's case, already slid over the painful, thin edge.

And Tala couldn't help wondering if everything would ever stop falling apart.

He was startled by the small knock on his door. Quickly wiping his even paler than usual cheeks, he braced himself. " Yeah?"

A soft screech came as the door was pushed open. " Hi." Hilary's voice didn't sound any stronger than his. " I… I just thought… It'd be good to be with someone… who's just as scared as I am."

He found himself giving a petite nod. " 'K."

From thereon, neither said a word. Shadows kept dancing in untraceable patterns as Hilary walked up to him, whole frame shuttering, and he wrapped his arms around the girl, burying his face into her hair that held a scent of chamomile.

And at that moment, when everything seemed to be crumbling around them and they were both crying soundlessly, one thing grew stronger than ever.

* * *

Kai wasn't exactly sure of for how long he'd been sitting on the rooftop of the hospital when the air of solitude was broken. Eyes squinting a little, he quickly turned his head to see Ray standing there, a step or two from the edge, the gaze of his golden eyes gazing at the city below.

For a moment, they remained speechless, both satisfied with the content, thoughtful silence. Then, out of blue, came Ray's voice, a bit broken. " I guess this hasn't been such a good day, huh?"

Despite everything, those words made the corners of Kai's mouth twitch. " Quite an understatement." Both would've desperately wanted to talk about Aimi, but neither could exactly find the words. The topic was just too tender. That's why Kai chose to pick another one. " Did you talk to Oliver today?"

The neko-jin gave a nod, eyes growing dark. " I… I still don't know… how we'll ever make it, especially if the baby… if she makes it."

Kai blinked. " 'She'?"

Ray nodded again, and took a shuttering sigh, sternly deciding not to do any more crying that day. " I don't have any clue of any of this, Kai! And…" He ran a hand through his thick, silky locks. " I… I just don't want to hurt him any more."

" Perhaps you don't have to." Kai's voice was so filled with certainty that despite all the stress, Ray found himself breathing a bit more easily. The boy gave him a glance. " I know it's been a hell, but… No one is expecting you two to go through this alone. You do realize that there are a lot of friends around you, right?"

He snorted. " Yeah… And you're the only one I've told about this."

Looking at the stars, Kai shrugged. " It's a start."

As Ray looked at his friend, almost chilling thought struck him. " Kai…" He gulped thickly, not sure of how to set his words. " Do… Do you have any idea… of how important you are to us? I mean… If… if you'd… go…"

Yeas suddenly glimmering, Kai shook his head fervently. " Ray, don't."

His amber eyes flashed. " You have to hear this, Kai! Because… I know you've been… hurting yourself again." The Russian's whole body jolted when he kneeled down and entrapped the sitting boy's face between his hands, determined to be heard out. " We need you!"

Almost as though his touch had burned, the dual-hared teen jumped up. " I… I've gotta go… Tyson's probably about to send a search-party."

Ray sighed. " You haven't told him, have you?" Seeing the look of quilt in Kai's eyes, he sighed again. " You should. He deserves to know."

Looking away, Kai remained silent for a long moment, noticeably gritting his teeth. Then, there was a quiet whisper. " I know." So fast that it startled him, the boy turned around, turning his back on him. " See you."

And as the boy disappeared, Ray couldn't help feeling that another friend was slipping away.

* * *

While the others had rushed to their separate ways, Kenny was still sitting in the waiting room, completely paralyzed by shock as the gravity of the situation flooded over him.

Up until that day, there'd been hope – foolish kind, but hope nevertheless. Perhaps Aimi would fight through after all, perhaps she'd defeat this. But now…

" Hi Chief."

Taken aback by the voice first, he shuttered a bit, then – despite the situation – felt the corners of his lips jerk. " You know, no one else has called me that for over a year."

There was a small, surprisingly deep laughter. " Well, then it's good someone does."

Ghost of a smile upon his lips, he watched as the girl slumped to seat next to his, completely forgetting her black leather-jacket on. For a longest time no words were offered as they sat in silence, both lost into their own thoughts.

" Remember… how Aimi convinced Zeo he was worth of normal life and love? How she showed him that there was another road to follow apart his father's?" Akira suddenly murmured, distant look in her eyes.

Blinking furiously, Kenny nodded, smile quivering. " Yeah. She's always been… determined."

" She showed that same determination… when forcing me to quit smoking." Possibly first time ever, he saw emotions upon the pale girl's cheeks – grief, betrayal, anger, fear – as she looked at him, almost like she'd found all the answers from his eyes. " She… She's my only family, Chief. My parents… They just don't know how to take care of me." Despite obvious resistance, a sniff escaped. " What… What the hell am I going to do without her?"

Silently wondering the same thing, Kenny cautiously wrapped an arm around her, and was almost shocked when actually finding her leaning closer, her small frame trembling.

Squeezing his own eyes tightly shut, he pulled her closer, everything spinning in his head. And at the moment, he would've desperately wanted to scream out loud.

* * *

Aimi didn't have a slightest clue of for how long she'd been sleeping when her eyelids finally twitched, determined to open up to the world once again.

First, she frowned as she met the darkness around her, felt the nauseating scent of hospital strike her harder than her mother's fist.

_Where the heck am I?_

And then, she felt the hand holding hers. Slightly startled, she turned her gaze to meet a pair utterly devastated eyes that'd lost all their hope. " Zeo…"

Seeing the silent tears moonlight refused to conceal, she understood that he knew everything. Her throat growing impossibly tight, she tried squeeze his hand back, but wasn't sure if he even felt it.

Whether he noticed her gesture or not, a pitiable, desperate moan escaped him, and before she properly realized what was happening he'd wrapped his arms around her, brought her against his surprisingly strong chest. As he buried his face into her hair, she felt his entire form shuttering with wrenching sobs.

Holding on to him as tightly as she possibly could, she grit her teeth so tightly that they sunk into skin and blood seeped, and squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

Only moonlight was comforting as souls that would soon be ripped apart helplessly tried to grasp on to one another.

* * *

Max had never trembled the way he did when standing behind the door of Yorks' Japanese residence.

' _Relax, Master_', Draciel's deep, soothing voice echoed in his head. ' _It'll be alright._'

He scowled. ' _Easy for you to say. You're not the one who has a knife on his throat._'

' _I believe you're exaggerating, Master._'

Max shivered again. ' _You haven't seen that man._'

Just then the door opened, revealing the face of Emily's father. " Max. How very nice of you to show up at such a short notice." The man made room. " Come in."

Max made a loud gulp. " T – thank you, Mr. York."

Neither said a word while he followed the man, head buzzing with thoughts of where he might be taken. None of the options made him feel a slightest bit better.

In the end, they ended up into a small, rather darkish room. Heavy velvet-curtains hung to cover the undoubtedly huge windows, and a blood-red carpet laid on the floor. Aside those, the room only held a bookshelf, two armchairs and a small cupboard.

Max frowned, very unnerved all of a sudden. " I… I thought we were supposed to evaluate beyblades…"

" Soon. But first… there's another matter we should… discuss." Slowly, almost dangerously, the man approached the few bottles on the cupboard, pouring so brownish liquid for himself. The man then looked at him. " Would you like some ice-tea?"

Max's eyes widened slightly. " N-no thanks…" _I have no interest to drink rat-poison or cyanide._

" Very well then." For a moment it was silent while the man took a taste of his drink, gradually gulping it down. " Excellent. But now…" The man's blue, icy eyes sparkled chillingly when meeting his. " How stupid exactly do you think I am?"

For a long moment, Max was too stunned to react. " W-what?" Once again, he gulped thickly. " I… I don't have any idea…"

" There are many things my daughter manages to keep as a secret from me. Far too many for my liking." The man took another sip of his drink. " But unfortunately, you aren't one of them. I managed to catch a glimpse of a picture of you two… bonding."

Max's poor heart was pushed to its limits, as were his rapidly widening eyes. Without noticing it, he took one step backwards, towards the exit. " Are you… Are you going to… kill me?"

The man gave a deep laughter. " No. You certainly aren't one of my favorite people at the moment, but I wouldn't wish to be charged with murder because of you."

He frowned. " Then what?"

With one huge gulp, the man emptied his glass. " I suggest… a little game. A bey-battle, to be exact." Those dangerous wolf's eyes locked with his. " If you lose, I'll take Emily back to America, and make sure you two will never meet again."

Max arched an eyebrow. Oh no, he wasn't going to give up from the one he loved this easily. " And if I win?"

" Then… I won't stand in you and Emily's way. You are free to do whatever you wish with her."

What neither knew was that Emily was listening to them from her own secret little chamber nearby, look of deep irritation upon her face. Her fists clenched into balls.

She'd expected more from the two most important men in her life. more than being treated like some darm decoration-ornament.

_I can't believe those two bozos are doing this!_

Then, a smirk came to her features.

She'd teach those two a little lesson of how to treat a girl.

* * *

Even though the apartment was dark as Kai entered, he could feel he wasn't alone. Not bothering to turn on the lights, he tossed into the living room.

Immediately, there was a sound of fabric rustling from the couch. " Kai?" A quiet yawn came to his sensitive ears. " Damnit, do you have any idea…?" The boy cut mid sentence. " Never mind. It's… it's none of my business, I guess."

Unable to utter another word, Kai simply stood absolutely still in the darkness for what felt like a tireless age. Then, slowly and hesitantly, he tiptoed towards the couch, causing a scarcely audible sound as he took a seat on the opposite side from Tyson.

Breathing was almost unbearably painful as he searched for the strength from within him, helplessly trying to find the words to explain something he knew Tyson would never understand. The reason why he wanted to… fade away.

Damnit, why did this part have to be so damn difficult?

Tyson's chest had never felt quite as tight as it did when he waited for the words he knew Kai would soon blurt out.

" Ty…" There was a loud gulp. " I… What you saw today… I think I should… explain."

Tyson gave a small nod, not exactly sure if he even wanted to know. " Yeah… You should." He looked towards the Russian's direction, but the darkness didn't allow him to see a thing. " Are you… okay?"

There was a bitter laughter. " Just about as alright as you are." His ears detected a clear shiver in Kai's voice. " They… They're trying to dope me up, but… I don't want to, because… when I fall asleep, all I see is _he_."

Tyson was so shocked that he could barely speak – more over Kai's words or the fact that the boy was opening up like this, he couldn't tell. Eventually came a wheeze. " You're not taking those pills, are you?" He didn't have to see Kai's shake of head. After a shocked silence, another question – much more chilling one – came to his mind. " Kai… Have you tried to…?"

Another gulp came, much more labored than the last one. " I… I just wanted him out of my head so badly…" A sound that could've been detected a sniff came from the boy's direction. " After… the third time… They put me into this place, but… I almost died there."

Tyson felt his head spinning, and he had to support his head with his hands to keep it all together.

Gosh, he should've known this, he should've seen… If… If he had, he would've never left. He would've never ran away…

He sure as hell wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Hesitantly – wary of both Kai's reaction and his own memories of all Seiji had done to him – he reached out in the dark, and as if being led, his hand found Kai's, encircling tightly around it, giving a tender squeeze.

Feeling the touch of Tyson's cool fingers, Kai found a shiver going through him, and all reminders of breath were stuck into his throat.

* * *

/ _Stars were twinkling in the sky as Kai stood on a pear nearby the boarding-school, watching the dark horizon, almost like waiting._

_His senses immediately activated when a board gave a screech under footsteps. In a flash of a second, he knew who it was, and all tension slowly drained out of him._

_Neither felt like talking as Wyatt slowly approached, taking a stand right beside him. After some silent moments, Kai felt himself jolt due to slight frighten when there was a hold on his hand. Confused, he lifted his gaze to meet brown, expectance-filled eyes, which were obviously wondering what he'd choose to do._

_He had no idea of where the sudden urge came, but before he knew what he was doing his hand closed softly, protectively, around Wyatt's, giving a promise of shelter._

_Unfortunately, that promise wasn't his to make._ /

* * *

Tyson, on the other hand, felt memories flooding in as if he'd been watching it from TV-screen. All the times Seiji had hurt him, all the crap he'd been through… The things Seiji had stolen from him…

Heart shrinking and stretched to its limits at the same time, he leaned forward and cling to Kai's shirt, as if that'd been the only thing that could protect him. He didn't even register the small, pitiable whimper that left him. " Help me…"

Kai's head was spinning as he once again held Tyson, swallowing thickly. _I can't even help myself._

They remained like that for ages, until Tyson finally found the strength to move again. For some reason that was a enigma to him, his hand shifted to the place where he could feel Kai's heart beating. " … fast…"

His whole being – including his insides – jolted when a bigger hand closed around his. Blinking and lifting his gaze, he met a pair of flaming, burgundy orbs that could just be seen in the darkness.

For close to eternity, clocks stood still, whole universe held its breath, as the two struggled against the sweetest of temptations, evaluated each other. But then…

It was like they'd both been struck by a heatstroke. Sense, logic or memories played no role as they let heat and temptation take over – neither was strong enough to fight against something so strong. Perhaps… they even shouldn't have.

They both needed this, more than anything.

Lips met each other, first a bit clumsily, not recognizing each other nor understanding their task, then passionately, demandingly, as passion took over. Hands found lives of their own while they worked in the darkness – they knew each other so well that eyes weren't needed.

And as two broken souls desperately tried to fix each other, for a first time in years a cautious emotion called hope started to rise to its wings, like a phoenix from ashes. Perhaps, even though nothing could repair all damage they'd received, there was something aside darkness awaiting on their paths… Maybe, just maybe, they deserved at least a little bit more…

On the pitch-black night-sky, stars that shone like a field of diamonds shifted into a new position when volatile, dangerous destiny made yet another one of it's moves.

* * *

Strange, treacherous orange eyes were on those deceitful stars. A young man ran a hand through his shoulder-length, storm-colored hair and took a look at his watch, giving a growl. " Late again…"

" But not as much as usually", came a voice from behind him. Turning his gaze, he found Seiji approaching. " Did you bring it along?"

" Of course I did." Flickers of silvery moonlight made the small handgun shine as he handed it to the slightly shorter teen. " Look… Are you sure about this? I mean… Usually my customers…"

The venomous, terrifying flash in the other's eyes made him cut short. " Well I'm not exactly any customer, am I?" In a careless movement, the boy fished out a envelope-full of money, and threw it to him while hiding the gun into the covers of his long jacket. " It was a pleasure to make business with you." So saying, the boy turned around, starting to walk away.

" Wait!" For some odd reason, he wasn't exactly willing to let the other go. Almost like he'd sensed something… " Seiji… What are you going to do? I mean… When someone buys a gun…"

" It really is none of your business." The voice was colder and sharper than winter-wind. Not taking another glance over his shoulder, the boy walked off. " See you later."

Looking at the boy's distancing back, he gave a deep frown, shivers running down his spine.

What the hell have I done?

**¨**

Walking away, Seiji made a cruel smirk, revealing his teeth like a predator about to jump on its unexacting prey.

_No one steals what's mine._

And he was about to make damn sure Tyson and that bastard would learn that. No matter for how long it'd take.

Those thoughts going through his mind, he disappeared like a shadow.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Pheeeeeew…. Fifteen pages this took! (collapses with exhaustion)

So… The tensions are running _high_… And even higher with Kai and Tyson! 0o Is it love at last – or just a night of passion that'll mess up everything?

Oh, and about the _moment_… What kind of… consequences would you like it to have? (Yeah, yeah, I'm talking about another mpreg… And yes, still stuck with the idea.) (sighs) So… Is one baby per fic enough – or are you welcoming pregnancy two? Please, please, let me know! I **_really_** want to make this fic one you'll like, and I can only do it if I know what you want to read!

Okay, I suppose that's all for now. Hope you'll all catch on next time! And before that… PLEAAAAAAASE review – and vote (of both the pregnancy and who Aimi should choose)! It seriously does mean more than a world to me! (begs on knees, giving puppy-dog eyes)

Adios! Be good!

(Btw... In case you're wondering why Ty and Max weren't in the hospital... They don't really know Aimi, you see. According to my own notes (that might be messed up) she joined the team after those two left.)

(1) Tyson left the team shortly after he'd defeated Zeo. (Well, that's in my freaky timeline, at least.) (grins)


	5. Salto Mortale

A/N: Phew, another chapter's actually done! (sighs) Sorry it took for longer than usual, I just … it's a bit of a mess for me right now, and… Well, at the moment I'm having the pretty much suckiest day of my life. But I won't torment you guys with details. 

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for those amazing reviews! (HUUUUUGS)

(Gosh, I can't believed my story was compared to something THAT amazing!)

(Btw, thanks for the idea that perhaps TYSON could be the one pregnant! Honestly, I would've never thought about it myself!)

Okay, okay, let's carry on! You'll see what happens 'the morning after'…

(Oh, in case you're curious… "Salto Mortale" means jump to death/jump of death, dangerous circus-jump, or too risky attempt.)

* * *

**Chapter five: Salto Mortale**

Calm, almost tranquil atmosphere of early morning lingered over the hospital's garden while Aimi and Ray sat there. While the girl was writing something, Ray watched the flowers that shone like diamonds when sunrays met the raindrops left by the storm raging the night before.

The peaceful, content silence hadn't been broken for ages when Aimi finally spoke. " Ray… Not that I wouldn't be flattered by all this time you're devoting to me, but… I think you're avoiding."

He frowned, ripping his eyes off of the enchanting flowers to look at her. " Avoiding what?"

Aimi rolled her eyes, corner's of her lips twitching. " You're underestimating me, cat-boy. Even though I'm stuck here, I still know quite a lot of what's going on in the outside world." Growing a bit more solemn, she stopped writing and looked at him with surprisingly steely eyes. " No matter how much you'd like to, you can't keep avoiding Oliver forever. I have no idea of what happened between you two, but I know he's here. So…"

" It's not that simple", he cut in, gaze filled with agitation. Once again, his straying eyes found the flowers. " Look… I know how much you'd like to see us work out, but…"

" You went to see him yesterday", Aimi interrupted, and grinned when seeing the look of surprise upon his face. " I told you I know a lot of things, didn't I?" A sad look appeared into her eyes. " Ray, whether it's as a friend or something more, he needs you. And according to what I've seen, I would dare to say that you need him, too. So if you say that you're doing this to… protect him or crap like that, you're either an idiot or a liar."

Starting to feel trapped, Ray frowned, still not looking at the girl. " I… I don't know, Aimi…"

Watching him, her eyes suddenly turned soft with understanding. " You're scared, aren't you?" Gently, she took his hand and gave it a tiny, reassuring squeeze. " Cat-boy, no matter how hard you try, you never know what lies ahead in the future. But if you won't even try… you'll throw both your chances away. You deserve much more than that."

Baffled, Ray looked into her eyes that were filled with softness and encouragement. " I wish I was as valiant as you."

She snorted. " If I was that 'valiant', I would just put an end to that ridiculous war Zeo and Kenny are having. I can't stand seeing them going at each other like that."

Ray found himself smiling a little. " Why don't we both start the work, then?"

Eyes flashing, Aimi nodded. " Yeah… 'Suppose we'll have to…" _Before it's too late_, she sullenly added to herself.

* * *

Tyson gave a loud growl when the first, far too sharp rays of sun attacked his eyes, stinging more painfully than acid. " Damnit…"

It took a long, blurred and deeply confused moment before he finally figured out what'd happened. And then… it hit him like a tidal-wave.

All those emotions spinning out of control the night before…

His eyes snapped open and widened, his mouth felt really, really dry all of a sudden. " Oh geez…"

Slowly, terrified of what he might discover, he turned to side on the couch – only to meet cold, empty space.

He blinked, puzzled. " Was it just a dream?"

He was convinced it was – until he saw a reminder. There, on the pillow under his head, laid a single, extremely beautiful red feather, glowing as though it'd been on fire as the flare of sun caressed it.

Once again, Tyson was mystified. " What the heck…?" The frown deepened when an answer came to him. " Dranzer?" But... What would the phoenix have done outside the blade?

And much more importantly, where the heck was Kai?

Cold, alarming chills ran down his back when he slowly pushed himself up, feeling slight discomfort caused by the activities from the night before. " Kai?" There was no reply.

Wrapping his arms tightly around himself, Tyson started to shiver uncontrollably, feeling… confused, almost betrayed. The chilly silence wrapping around him was so heavy that it nearly stole his breath, crushed him. Millions of thoughts raced through the bluenette's mind.

Had Kai decided that what they'd done was nothing more than a mistake? Had it been one? And if it hadn't, then… why the hell had Kai left like this?

Suddenly, the flood of questions was slammed stop when a feeling of something being very, very wrong suddenly hit him. Not really knowing why he did so, he fished out Dragoon – which he still held in the pocket of his pants laying nearby – and felt all the hair in the back of his neck rise up when he discovered it glowing with dark-blue, almost black light he'd never seen before.

And in a flash of a moment, he understood. His eyes grew impossibly wide. " Oh shit…"

* * *

Several minutes drained by as Ray stood behind the door of Oliver's hospital room, every single muscle in his body tensed.

_You've done this once before_, he told himself, biting his teeth together with such force that a screeching sound was heard and pain filled his mouth. _You can damn sure do it again._

Squeezing together all the remainders of his willpower, he pushed the nonsensically heavy door open – and froze to the spot, face losing all color. " Empty…"

All the flowers, their scent… They were gone. And the bed Oliver had the day before been sleeping in was empty, clean, white sheets neatly covering it. Not a single trace of life could be seen.

Ray's form started to shiver, feeling so weak that he almost hit the floor there and then. " No…"

Just then, as if from some sort of a weird dream, a soft sound of toilet being flushed and water running reached his sensitive ears. Still paralyzed, he watched as the small bathroom's door was opened, and a familiar figure came to view. For close to eternity it was absolutely, utterly silent, until a soft whisper shattered it. " Ray?"

For another while, Ray really thought the boy before him was a ghost. Unlike the day before, Oliver was now fully dressed. Although still far paler than usually, his whole essence radiated the same firmness and charm the neko-jin had noticed the moment he'd laid his eyes on the boy.

Ray blinked furiously, heart completely out of its rhythm. " When I came in… I… I thought you…" The last word wasn't one he wanted to utter, so he once again squeezed his mouth tightly shut.

A strange look Ray could detect flashing upon his face, Oliver turned around and walked up to his bag that laid behind the carefully made bed. " I'm not sure… if it was such a good idea for you to come. Why did you?"

A jolt of hurt ran through the neko-jin's spine – he wasn't sure if it was caused more by the words or the fact that Oliver clearly though he didn't care. " Believe it or not, but I care. I… I still do – for both of you. Even if it's too late." It wasn't until then he properly realized that the other was out of bed, and much more, seeming like he was about to leave. His eyebrows furrowed. " Where… Where are you going?"

Finishing up with the packing, Oliver gave a coarse laughter. Couldn't Ray see? " Honestly? Anywhere, absolutely anywhere." _I won't let all that crap happen all over again._

Ray's golden eyes grew so dark that it ached him. " Because of me? Because of… what we did yesterday?" The boy's voice sounded strained, almost choked.

Look of utter discomfort upon his face, Oliver looked away, staring at the bag that was already ready to go. Truthfully, he had no idea. He'd really thought it was because of Ray, and all that mess the neko-jin had left for him to clean up, but now… He wasn't sure if he more scared of the possible pain, Ray or himself.

Besides, he'd never had a good family, and he was never meant to have one. That's what his father had kept telling him from much before he could argue back.

_I should've been smart enough to believe._

" I won't let you disappear from me, Ollie. Especially not now, when… when you're carrying a piece of me." All strain was gone. The boy before him was turned into a full-grown tiger. " I don't really care if… if you'd never love me again. I don't deserve that. But I want to take care of you, like I should've for months."

" Ray…"

" I want you to come and stay with me. I mean… Not as a lover, but… a room-mate… or something."

For a longest time, Oliver hesitated, almost shocked by the sudden suggestion. His heart… had broken once because of Ray, and the boy had already been gone for so very long. Would he now dare to accept his offer?

As though on cue, there was suddenly a demanding, clear kick inside his stomach, and he reflexively covered his belly with one hand, giving a tiny gasp.

Ray immediately frowned, alarmed. " What's wrong?"

He gave a small laughter, gently placing his hand onto the bump. " I… I think someone just decided for me."

* * *

The sound of clothes rustling made still sleeping Hilary frown.

When there was some more noise, she stirred but still didn't open her eyes, her frown growing deeper. " … quiet, damnit…"

But what truly woke her was the small click and loud laughter, followed by a furious bellow of Tala's. " Sumeragi, you are really going to die this time!"

Hilary's eyes immediately snapped open, she found hysterically laughing Daichi desperately running for cover with his camera, outraged Tala hot on his tails.

For several moments, she blinked, her brain trying to process all that was going on around her.

So… She was in Tala's dorm-room – Tala _and_ Daichi's dorm-room the two had been forced to share. She'd spent a night there, fallen asleep beside Tala. And now, Daichi was holding a camera – which she'd heard being used a moment earlier…

Her ruby-red eyes grew very, very wide, and a hue made its way to her cheeks. " Oh fuck…" The embarrassment, however, soon gave room for another emotion. Pure rage. Her eyes obtaining a color of magna, she gave a incensed hiss. " Tala, get that little insect, but make sure I'll get to strangle him – and destroy that damn camera of his."

Discovering that he'd successfully managed to corner all of a sudden very scared looking Daichi, Tala gave a demonic grin, revealing his teeth. " Now, you little parasite… I'll make sure this was your last day as a paparazzi."

As Tala approached, eyes gleaming, Daichi's gaze filled with sheer panic. The small boy seemed to shrink even still, whole body trembling. " P – please… Don't kill me…"

" Oh, I won't kill you." Tala's voice was as smooth as velvet, treacherous. " It would be much, much too easy."

Just then, a sound of Tala's cell-phone's dial tone pierced the heavy atmosphere. Tala gave a small growl, then another, much louder one, when pulling out his phone and noticing who the caller was. " Where the heck did you get my number?"

" _From Kai's notebook_", came Tyson's reply. The boy's frantic tone immediately caught Tala's attention. " _Look… I have no idea of why I decided to call you, but… __Kai… Kai's missing._"

He arched an eyebrow. " Missing?"

" _He'd disappeared this morning, I… I have no idea of where he could be._" The voice shivered more than a bit. " _I wouldn't have called you, but… I… I'm desperate here. I… I think he might've done something… stupid._"

Tala's body turned cold and heavy, almost like saltwater. _Oh no…_ " I'll call the others." Heart bounding with panic he skillfully disguised, he looked at Hilary. " We've gotta go. Kai… Kai's missing."

Her face fell pale in a flash of a second. " Shit…"

Making a growl, the redhead gave the tiny nuisance a glare. " We'll… deal with you later. Now, we've gotta go."

* * *

Sitting in on her hospital-bed, eyes gazing longingly at the light spreading outside, Aimi woke from her deep thoughts when there was a sound of door opening. " Hey, hummingbird. You wanted to talk."

She nodded, not turning her gaze. " Yeah."

The tension could've been cut by a knife when the door opened again, and the other one she'd called entered. For several moments, it was dead-silent. " I thought I was supposed to be the only one here."

" So did I, actually."

Bracing herself, she peered over her shoulder. Behind her, Zeo had taken a seat on the chair next to her bed. Kenny stood by the doorway, hand on the door-handle, obviously debuting whether he should get out or stay. " I'm gonna put a stop to this, guys, once and for all. I'm not gonna let you two fall out because of me."

Zeo cocked his other eyebrow. " How exactly are you going to stop it?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. " If you two won't swallow your pride and stop that idiotic wrestle of testosterone, I'll officially forbid you two from ever entering my room again. _Wakatta_?" Something close to ache appeared into her eyes as she looked at Kenny. " There's no reason to fight."

Understanding, Kenny jerked as though he'd been shot, eyes flashing with pain unlike anything the two others had seen before. " I've gotta go." And before the echo of the last syllable had died, he was gone.

**¨**

Leaning his forehead against the wall with his eyes squeezed tightly shut, fists clenched into balls so tightly that nails dug through skin, Kenny fell like he'd been crumbling to pieces inside.

Of course he'd always known Aimi was out of his reach, that his craziest dreams would never be reality, but still… Hearing it from her mouth felt like he'd been skinned alive.

" Kenny?"

His eyes snapped open with frighten, and slowly he turned his gaze towards the sound. He became even further shocked when finding Zeo stood there, hesitant look in his green eyes. Feeling a jolt of pain, he looked away. " If you came to mock me…"

" I came, because I understand what you're going through right now, probably better than anyone else does." The look in Zeo's eyes was close to sympathy. " Trust me, it'll get better. I've been there for million times, so… I should know."

Kenny gave a faint nod, looking at the wall with half-closed eyelids. Who knew how many times Zeo had been rejected, perhaps even abused, just because of what he was. " Being a cyborg stinks, huh?"

" Yeah, it does sometimes. But so does being a human, I've discovered."

For a while comfortable, almost companionable silence lingered between them, until Kenny spoke quietly, hesitantly, still not daring to look at the other. " Zeo… Is it never gonna be… normal between us again? I mean…" He trailed off, deciding that asking 'are we ever gonna be friends?' would've sounded just too corny.

There was a heavy sigh. " I… I just don't know, Kenny. Not yet."

Just then Kenny's cell-phone rang, preventing the threatening uncomfortable silence. " Ty?"

" _Have you seen Kai?_"

* * *

The bitingly cold wind meant nothing when Kai stumbled to the hard ground, so roughly that wounds tore to the skin of his knees. But he was numb to pain, having ran for ages through the autumn-wind without a trace of jacket covering him.

He panted heavily when leaning his hand helplessly against the cold tombstone of Wyatt's, exhausted due to the hellish running he'd done. " Please…" The wheeze was thin and small, but he wanted to believe he was heard nevertheless. " Help…"

But the wind, that seemed to be singing some cruel chant when passing by the tombstones, wouldn't give him an answer. Wyatt kept his silence.

Memories flashed by Kai's mind as the little there was left of him started to crack.

**¨**

/ _He and Wyatt's first encounter, the feeling of warmth he at the time stubbornly pushed aside._

" _I was thinking… if you could help me. Please?"_ /

**¨**

/ _He and T__yson's first encounter, the flames that immediately started flickering._

" _The name is... Kai."_ /

**¨**

/ _Wyatt's last, desperate attempt to reach out for him as he was leaving the school, the boys wrenching agony and disappointment when being turned down._

" _I… I hope you'll find what you're looking for."_ /

**¨**

/ _The lost, sad and utterly disappointment look in Tyson's eyes when he threw his blade to the boy in the Abbey._ /

/ _The look upon Wyatt's face just before the boy's eyes closed for a one last time, the boy's slender form becoming completely limp in his arms as his piercing, frantic, futile scream erupted._

" _NO!"_

_But even then, there'd been nothing he could do to cheat death._ /

**¨**

" I… I failed you…" Kai's whisper, slipping through gritted teeth, vanished into the cruel, smothering hug of the wind. A tear that seemed to burn its way through flesh squeezed out through closed eyelids. " I… broke you." Bitterly, anxiously, his fists formed tight balls. " And now… I'm making the same damn mistake again."

Tyson and Wyatt… They'd both trusted him, expected him to keep them from falling into darkness. But no matter how desperately he would've wanted to, he just wasn't strong enough. And Wyatt's life had been the cost of that realization.

Still feeling the taste Tyson's kiss had given him, he bit his lip as hard as he possibly could, but even the sickening taste of blood didn't manage to erase the memento of the night before.

**¨**

/ _" Kai, I__… I love you."_ /

**¨**

When Kai's burgundy eyes opened again, they'd lost all their emotion. Unsteadily, he got up to his weak knees, forcing himself up from the cold ground. Gosh, he was so sick of all this pain… So tired of hurting everyone who dared to care about him… For one more time, his fingers brushed the cold stone. " I'll make sure he won't have to pay the price you did."

And with those words, he slowly turned around and walked away, disappearing to the mist embracing the graveyard.

* * *

About an hour and half after the events in the hospital, Oliver cautiously followed Ray into the small flat he and Akira were sharing. Stepping through the door, he was suddenly more sure than ever that he'd made the biggest mistake in his life.

And the feeling didn't ease at all when he saw a hairy, fist-sized spider happily making its way across the floor.

A deep sigh escaped as he wondered if he should turn around right there and then. " Nice…"

Seeing what he was looking at, Ray scratched his head. " Um… That would be Princess. She's Akira's love and joy."

Oliver blinked. " Akira? That little-sister of Aimi's?"

" The one and only." Wearing only a black T-shirt, the girl emerged from her room, taking the spider onto her hand like it'd been a piece of finest porcelain. " Sorry 'bout that. It seems she's as good at breaking out as I'm at breaking in."

Seeing the look upon Oliver's face, Ray had a hard time stifling a laughter. " She's just joking." He then directed his attention to the girl. " Look, Oliver's… gonna stay here for a while, so…" Not quite knowing what to say, he trailed off.

Catching on quickly, Akira motioned Oliver to follow. " Welcome to the zoo. I'll show you around."

Just as the two disappeared, Ray's cell-phone snapped to life. He blinked a little when noticing it was Max. " Hey. You back in America already?"

" _Um… Not just yet…_" The was a clear edge in the now green-hared boy's voice. " _Look, Emily and I… We kinda had a… disagreement._"

Ray winced, knowing perfectly what that meant. " She hit the road, didn't she?" Over the time the couple had been together, he'd became more than familiar with the ginger-hared girl's temper. It wasn't few times she'd vanished into what seemed to be thin air after what Max called disagreement, but was rather a world-war. " Maxie, I'm sure she'll…"

" _This was different_", the boy interrupted him, sounding even more distressed. " _She didn't say a word even to her dad. I… No one seems to have a flaming clue of where she is._"

Ray arched an eyebrow. _Now this is new…_ " I still wouldn't worry if I was you. Trust me, she's just throwing another tantrum."

There was a heavy sigh that couldn't possibly be described as anything but miserable. " _Gosh I hope you're right._" Just then, the boy seemed to remember something. " _Hey, what about you and Oliver? Still going at each other?_"

For once, luck seemed to be on Ray's side. There was a small beep as someone else tried to call his cell-phone. " Wait a sec, someone's on the line." Seeing who it was, he gave a slight frown. " Tala?"

* * *

Once again, wind caressed Kai's body as he stood on cool metal about half an hour later, eyes closed.

If the night before wasn't counted, that was the first time in two years he actually felt calm and relieved, almost… happy.

This was the right thing to do. The only thing he could do.

Slowly, his eyelids inched open, gazed at the pitch-black depths streaming far below him.

It only made sense that water was what would smother the fire inside of him.

For one more time, he lifted his gaze to the sky, looked at the heavy, dark clouds gathered there. His eyes squinted just a little. " Just one more minute. I'm on my way."

Once more, he sucked air into his lungs, so much that his chest teemed. Slowly letting the breath seep out, he allowed his eyes to fall to rest and spread his arms, taking a small step forward from the bridge-railing he'd been standing on.

And he stepped straight into nothingness.

**¨**

So very close, Tyson just entered the small park – and his eyes immediately widened to impossible size as he helplessly watched Kai take a step into thin air. Intense, wrenching scream of utter horror escaped him while he helplessly darted forward, hand outstretched. " NO!"

But before he'd taken more than two steps, a splash of water was heard when Kai hit the surface, sinking straight through into the pits that were darker than midnight.

Tyson's breath wheezed with panic and horror as he finally reached the bridge, leaned to the exactly same part of railing Kai'd just jumped from. His hysterical, still widened eyes scanned through the black water, but didn't manage to find a single trace of the older teen. " Oh God, no…"

He was wasting time. Suddenly filling with a burst of energy, he rapidly removed his jacket, and – fighting all sense and fears – followed Kai into the darkness.

His breath immediately caught into his throat as he hit the ice-cold water, and his heart (that'd already been racing) was yet again stretched to extreme.

Trying to overcome the physical emotions, he attempted to look around in the hazy dimness, but it was too dark to see a thing.

Desperation started to kick in.

_Damnit, Kai… Where the heck are you?_

His lungs practically on fire, he was forced to return to the surface for air – he would be no use for Kai if he'd collapse of oxygen-deprivation.

Searing tears streamed to his cheeks as he gasped in breaths, furiously trying to figure out what to do. Perhaps… Perhaps he should go and call for help. But then, all help might come too late for Kai.

All of a sudden, his disordered thoughts were interrupted when he saw a bright, ruby-red light pierce the dark water, stubbornly making its way through. A loud gasp escaped him as he knew. " D – Dranzer…?"

Again, he forced himself to gather his wits, and after taking a deep breath dove, praying for best while following the light that seemed to become brighter and brighter by the second. And then, so suddenly that he was almost startled, he caught a glimpse of a pure-white scarf, billowing in the strong current.

_Could it be…?_

Swimming closer as fast as he possibly could, he found his heart almost bursting upon discovering that Kai really was there, his beyblade shining in his pocket. His eyes were closed, and his face – silhouetted by long-grown dual-toned hair – seemed worryingly pale against all the darkness. The Russian was completely still, far too much so to Tyson's liking.

Not wasting another second, the Japanese determinedly swam closer, entirely new strength bubbling inside of him. He wasn't going to go back up without Kai.

Gently, almost carefully, he wrapped his arms around the other's all too thin form, pulling the taller teen close to his chest, where his heart was racing. Struggling furiously against the oxygen-deprivation and current for both their sakes, he kicked the water, reaching for the surface.

Again, it seemed to take for ages before he was finally able suck in another breath. Gasping – for both to stabilize his breathing and the coldness of the water – he anxiously examined the still unmoving boy in his arms. " K – Kai?"

There was no reaction whatsoever, Kai's head still rested lifelessly against his shoulder. Just then Tyson noticed that the boy's lips were rapidly turning blue, and he could barely feel the other's breath against his neck. Was Kai even breathing?

Never before had Tyson felt such panic. " Oh shit…" It took a lot to fight away the overwhelming terror, but at last it gave room to sheer willpower. Gritting his teeth, Tyson started to make his way towards the shore nearby. " I won't let you give up on me, Kai, do you hear me? You are not going to die, not now. I'm gonna make sure of that."

By the time he finally reached the shore, he was almost too weak to push the two of them there. Panting and couching, he anyhow struggled both of them out of the water, slumping to the cold ground with motionless Kai still in his arms.

Fighting his suddenly ridiculously heavy body to all fours (hovering halfway over Kai), he suddenly felt his heart jump when noticing that there was something staining his shirt. " B – blood?"

But… He wasn't injured. So where…?

Eyes once again growing huge, he slowly turned his gaze – and blood almost literally stilled in his veins as he noticed the read liquid escaping from the deep cut on Kai's left wrist. " Oh no…" Completely forgetting his exhaustion, he rapidly bent down to the boy, examining him. A sob shuttered his body when he found that the Russian was breathing, but just barely. " Thank God…" Millions of thoughts running through his mind at once, he figured that he'd have to make the bleeding stop, and get Kai warmed up. Otherwise, the little breath there was left in the boy might cease.

Working his hardest to pull together the little concentration he had left, he ripped off Kai's scarf and wrapped it firmly around the boy's wrist. He gave a loud hiss when white immediately soaked with red. The wound was dangerously deep.

_Damnit… Of course he had to do even this perfectly…_

Chest tight and sore with restrained emotions and panic, he softly gathered the ice-cold boy against his chest, frantic eyes scanning around in hopes of finding any kind of help. But there was no one within eyeshot, and tears of desperation gathered into his stormy eyes. And all he could do was scream. " Help!" His voice was croaky, and so small that it most likely wouldn't be heard by even the keenest of ears. Determination once again pushing through, he tried again, using all the strength he had left. " HELP!"

" Tyson? Is that you?" That voice… It was so familiar… Grass and leaves rustled. " Guys, he's here!" In a second, Max was right before him – and the boy's blue eyes immediately widened as the sight presented itself to him. " Oh God…"

Almost too panicked for words, Tyson attempted to speak out. " He… He tried to…" Words left him.

Just then, Tala – followed closely by Ray, Kenny and Akira – also showed up. A hazardous flash could immediately be seen in his ice-blue eyes. " What the hell's going on?" Those eyes locked to devastated Tyson. " What have you done?"

Deciding that bloodbath wasn't needed, Hilary stepped in, eyes flashing with both extreme worry and determination. " Tala, not now." She focused on Tyson, visibly having a huge battle against panic-attack. " Have you already called an ambulance?"

Blinking to maintain the last of his wits, Tyson gave faint shake of head. " I… I left my jacket to the bridge… My cell-phone's there…"

While the others started to call help and fussing around, the rest of the world disappeared from around Tyson. He was oblivious to the various questions directed to him.

Shivering all over, he pulled Kai's scarcely alive body even closer to his chest, burying his face into the wet, dual-colored locks.

And he cried, harder than ever.

**¨**

From a hill nearby, a pair of soulless eyes observed all the fuss below, taking in every look of pain and aggravation Tyson gave, every drop of blood that oozed from Kai.

A smirk that held no compassion revealed a pair of flawless teeth.

This was going even better than he'd planned.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Uuuuuuuf, managed to scrabble on another chapter!

So many questions to be answered… What'll happen to all the couples – and Kai? And where the heck is Emily?

(Btw, in case you're wondering, yes. The guy in the very last scene was no other than our _beloved_ Seiji.) (gets shivers of disgust from the name) (And oh, who said Kai "I love you"? I'll leave it up to you to decide.) (grins)

**VOTE**, people! Vote! Not only is there a question of if I should add another mpreg, but also if I do, who's the… carrying… daddy – Kai or Tyson? **Please**, tell me what you think! This is your only chance to make a difference! (Heh, I sound like a politician – again.)

'Hope I'll see you all again the next time! And **PLEASE** send me a review as you vote! I could _really_ use some encouragement and cheering up now… (gives puppy-dog eyes)


	6. Dealing with the scars

A/N: I'm back again, hopefully with some more sanity than last time… It's been quite a ride, but hopefully it'll get easier now.

BUT to the business…

Once again, thank you from the deepest depths of my soul for those reviews (and votes, of course)! You have no idea of how important they are, especially now. Actually, I don't think I'd have the energy to write without them. (sends ENORMOUS hugs) You guys are real life savers!

(I'm so glad if you like those 'additional stories' I've put in! (jumps with joy) I've just always thoughts that a story of one person in a close group can't be told without telling a story of the entire group.) (Confusing sentence, huh?)

But now, on with the show! (We're about half way through, by the way.) Let's see how Kai's holding up after 'the jump'. First, you'll find out how Tyson and Seiji met.

* * *

**Chapter six: Dealing with the scars**

/ _Rays of golden light embraced the psychiatrist's waiting room as Seiji stood before a window, half-closed eyes glancing at the cars driving by so very far below him. Spotting a young man wrapping an arm around his girlfriend, he gave a small snort._

_Such fools…_

_A sound of door opening caught his attention. Slowly turning his head, he found a deeply hesitant-looking, midnight-blue hared boy standing there, debuting, almost scared look in his eyes._

_He gave a lopsided smile. " Everyone hesitates before entering for a first time", he noted._

_The boy, obviously relieved of hearing a friendly voice, also gave a smile, looking straight into his eyes. " Good thing I'm not the only coward, then." Smiling even more widely, the smaller teen offered a hand towards him. " I'm Tyson."_

_A smirk revealed his teeth as he took the hand, squeezing. " Seiji."_

_And at that moment, as their eyes searched through each other, Seiji heard a small, whisper-like sound in his ears, and was convinced that fate was doing its work._ /

* * *

The clock on the stained, white wall kept ticking forward as a group of people sat in a room where silence laid thickly on them.

Tyson's thoughts were such a mess that he didn't really know what he was thinking as he sat completely still, staring at his shoes with widened eyes. His mind, too numb and filled at the same time, lingered safely in somewhere much safer, in that one, short night when everything had felt in place.

A tear of pain, resentment and sadness wanted to break out. " He shouldn't have promised…"

" Promised what?"

Startled, having completely forgotten he wasn't alone, Tyson lifted his gaze to meet Max's eyes, that were filled with aggravation and sympathy. The bluenette wasn't exactly sure if he was more shocked over the other talking, or someone actually being nice to him.

Too exhausted and ashamed to look into Max's warm eyes, he fixed his gaze away. " Nothing, Maxie."

Everyone jumped a little when the door was all of a sudden swung open. Lifting his gaze, Tyson found his heart forgetting how to do its work.

_Oh crap…_

Tala, also gazing towards the doorway, blinked. " Bry? Shouldn't you be in Russia?"

" I… I came as soon as I found out." The lavender-hared teen's eyes narrowed as they found Tyson, fists formed tight, iron-hard balls. " You little _zhopa_… I honestly thought you'd changed over years, but no! When you come back, you manage to make the damn mess in here even bigger!"

The hurt and anger that rushed through Tyson were so intense that they barely left him a breath. " You… you think I…_wanted_ this?! That I wanted to… break him?!" Oh, that was just too much… Some tears making their way to his cheeks, he screamed as loudly as he possibly could. " You know what? Go to hell! Because you obviously don't have a clue of what's going on here!"

Bryan's eyes obtained a hazardous flame of fury, and faster than Tyson could blink the boy's fist had been lifted against him. But before it ever met him, another firm hand entrapped it. " Not now, Bryan."

Half surprised, half annoyed, the Russian looked at Tala, who didn't release his hold. " What the heck are you doing?"

" Keeping you from making a mistake." So many emotions flashed in Tala's eyes that it was impossible to find a name to them all. " I know how much you'd want to hurt him, but it wouldn't make things any better. There's nothing you can do to change a thing."

With those words, it all became just too much for Bryan to bear. He'd just heard of Kai, learned that Tyson was living with the boy… All the pressure cracked the shield of indifference, and his eyes squinted. A dangerous hiss escaped through gritted teeth. " So… I don't deserve to be here because I don't belong into the group anymore, is that it? I don't matter?"

" Bryan…"

" When… when all this shit started… you didn't even call me! When Wyatt died, and when Kai started to fall ill… it was Mr. D who had told me!" Everyone – even Tala and Hilary, who knew Bryan the best – was shocked when seeing a couple of tears roaming down the usually ice-cold boy's cheek. " Well, at least now I know."

With Bryan swiftly turning around, Tala quickly reached out a hand, trying to graph the lavender-hared youths wrist. " Bry, wait!"

The other's eyes were squinted as he peered over his shoulder. " Don't… touch me." With the words left lingering heavily into the air, he was gone.

Shocked, thick silence wrapped around the room.

* * *

The clock was ticking so loudly that it hurt Tyson's ears as he sat in the room, eyes glazed and body completely paralyzed, hardly even breathing.

It felt like… like all ground had disappeared from underneath his feet. And in a way, that was the case. Whether he'd admitted it to himself before or not, Kai had always been the steady rock holding him up – even when they were apart, even the Russian had left the team in Russia.

Now… that support was shattering.

" You okay?"

For a brief moment, chills ran down his spine and a faint gasp escaped as the auburn eyes before him were flaming in all their glory. But then, the flame died, and burgundy melted into gold.

Feeling his eyes sting almost more than he could bear, he quickly turned his gaze away. " Yeah."

Giving a small nod, Ray took a seat beside him, and for a while, they remained in silence.

Once again retreating into his thoughts, Tyson was startled when a steaming takeaway-cup of coffee was offered to him. " You were also in that freezing water. 'Thought you could use something warm."

It wasn't until then he noticed just how cold he was, the jacket that'd somehow ended up into his lap completely useless in warming him up. Grateful, he took the coffee. " Thanks."

While taking a sip of the surprisingly hot liquid, he could clearly tell that Ray was debuting something, eyebrows furrowed and concentrated look in his cat's eyes. It took a while before the neko-jin spoke. " Ty… Bryan's accusations… They really hurt you, didn't they?"

Tyson had to bite his tongue not to snap something he might've regretted later. He nodded, not meeting the other's gaze. " Yeah."

" You've got to know that this isn't your fault, right?" The neko-jin's voice was soft, sincere. " I don't know what happened between you two, but…" The boy trailed off, and Tyson could feel his eyes on him. " It's thanks to you he's still alive."

_Yeah, some hero I am_, he cynically thought to himself, taking another sip.

He was brought back from those thoughts when Ray spoke again. " You know… I've always cared about Kai, we all have. And… I think we've been nothing short of a family to him. But you… you've always been… different."

He blinked, surprised, and looked at the neko-jin. " What are you talking about?"

Ray shook his head with a small, sad smile. " Gosh, you really are helpless when it comes to emotions…" The boy looked at him. " Do you really think anyone else would've been allowed to launch Dranzer? Or that anyone else would've been able to keep him from drowning into Lake Baikal? He trusts you more than anyone else, Tyson. And…" The boy looked away again, eyes flashing a little. " I would even say that he needs you. So… Don't you dare tell me that you're responsible for this, because… you're the only one who can keep him from getting lost into his memories. So… You can't lose yourself."

Not saying a word, Tyson stared at the dark depths of his coffee, drifting into his thoughts.

Yes… Kai had trusted him.

**¨**

/ _" Kai, I… I love you."_ /

**¨**

But he might've destroyed that trust. For good. And it was because of that Kai was now within an inch of his life.

* * *

In the meantime, Max, Hilary and Akira were walking through the cafeteria, discovering that they'd soon collapse without a strong dosage of caffeine.

Seeing Max lifting his cell-phone to his ear for about a millionth time, Hilary arched an eyebrow. " Who's he trying to call?" She then caught on, and gave a heavy sigh. " Let me guess…"

" Yes, I believe Emily would be a correct answer", Akira confirmed, roughly rubbing her tear- and weariness reddened eyes. " If I've counted right, this would be the hundredth time he's calling her in two hours. And I'm not exasperating."

Ignoring the girls, Max gave a loud growl when the only voice he yet again heard was one of answering machine's. " Em, please, I…" His voice cracked, and he had to struggle against the huge lump in his throat that wanted to suffocate him. " There's… there's a disaster in here… Please, call me…"

* * *

Sitting on a almost collapsed, small bed, Emily didn't even notice that her cell-phone – which was on a silent mode – was flashing frantically. All her attention was on the two plain-tickets she was holding.

One of them would lead her back to Japan, and the other to Spain for a promotion-gig with Michael and the rest of the former All Starz.

Her eyes darkened several shades as she realized that for a first time in her life, Emily York didn't have an answer to something. " Crap…"

When she'd left Japan after witnessing her father and Max battling each other like five-year-olds, she'd been pissed. Or no, that was an understatement. She'd been fuming, furious. Never in her life had she felt such disappointment. (Though to be fully honest, she was a bit curious to know which one had won.)

But not even under the strongest bout of rage and fury had she thought she'd go _this_ far to make the two male realize that she wasn't a flower-vase or some other household garment.

And now, she was contemplating taking a step even further. Because should she go to Spain, she'd never return.

She was shaken off of those thoughts when there was soft knock on the door. " Is it safe to enter?" came Michael's deeply uncertain voice.

He had a reason to be mildly afraid. When arriving some six hours earlier, Emily had thrown quite a… fit, one could say, while explaining what had happened. As a result, Michael would probably get a nice shiner by the next day.

Somewhat calmed, she nodded, though the boy couldn't see it. " Yeah, come in."

Slowly, the door cracked open. Discovering that no objects would be sent his way, Michael dared to step in. " Have you made up your mind?"

She snorted. " If having pulled off all my hair means I'm ready, then I guess so." As some light coming from outside met Michael's face – revealing his right eye – she winced. It was already red, and she could see the color of black and blue forming, along with nice swelling. " Oh damn… Did I seriously do that?"

The boy gave a faint smirk. " Let's just say that those tiny fists of yours can be quite weapons."

She cocked an eyebrow. " Don't force me to use them again." Her eyes once again falling to the tickets, she gave a miserable sigh. " You know… I really thought this… running away-stunt would somehow… satisfy me. But now…" She shook her head at a loss of words.

Taking a seat next to her, Michael gave a small, sad smile of understanding. " It really stinks when you want to dash to two directions at once, huh?"

She eyed him suspiciously. " How would you know?"

Despite the darkness, deep, hot-red blush could clearly be seen on Michael's cheeks as he looked away. He wouldn't answer.

Soft, comfortable silence lingered over them when she rested her forehead against his shoulder, oblivious to the variety of changing expressions upon Michael's face.

" You know…", she finally murmured, opening her sore eyes again. " Whoever said that running away is easy was an idiot."

Michael gave a laughter. " Amen to that." He then yawned, taking a glance at his watch. " Look, as much as I enjoy of this… bonding session, it's four in the morning. And I don't know about you, but I'll collapse if I won't get some sleep soon."

Seeing his exhaustion, she felt a stab of guilt. " Sorry… I just…"

Michael smiled. " I know." Pushing himself to his feet, he sauntered towards the door. " G'night, Emmie. I know the guys can blow the roof off with their snoring, but try to get some sleep, 'k?"

She found herself grinning as well. " I will. 'Night."

Watching him close the door softly behind him, she finally made up her mind, still not noticing her cell-phone shining like a disco-ball.

* * *

Countless of more minutes, perhaps even hours, had passed by when Kenny sat on a bench right outside the hospital, drawing in the sickening smoke of his cigarette while gazing at nothing in particular.

Blue and red lights of ambulance driving by flashed in the pools of water as he closed his eyes, letting his mind drift somewhere far away. He didn't even notice that the cigarette started to burn his hand.

First, he'd lost Aimi – in more ways than one. And now, Kai… Kai might vanish, too. The one who'd once been stronger than a rock, indestructible even.

It took a lot to fight away the tears that urgently wanted out. Mercifully, the cool wind eased the stinging of his eyes a tiniest bit. " I'm so fucking sick of this…"

" Sick of what?"

Startled, he turned his gaze – and blinked a few times when seeing Zeo standing there, a couple of steps away. The shock draining away, he looked away, sucking in yet another nauseating breath of his cigarette. " Losing everything."

Glimpse of something resembling quilt flashing in his eyes, Zeo slowly walked up to him, sliding to the seat next to him.

It was silent for a long while until he spoke. " Have the doctors told anything?"

Zeo shook his head, more than a bit of annoyance and anxiety in his red, puffy eyes. " I think it'll take a death-threat to make them utter a word." Obviously using all his willpower to think about anything else, the boy turned his gaze to his cigarette. " You know… Aimi would kill you if she'd know."

Despite all pain, frustration, confusion and anger, a petite ghost of a smile found its way to Kenny's face. " Yeah, I know." After giving it a thought, he pulled out a box of cigarettes, offering it to the other. " I don't know how these affect on a cyborg, but… You want one?"

After a pregnant consideration, Zeo accepted his offer, softly pulling out one. " Thanks", the cyborg murmured.

With that, a comfortable silence that could almost be described companionable fell on them, both sinking into their thoughts.

**¨**

Aimi – having decided that nothing should restrain her into bed after she'd heard the news of Kai – sauntered through the hallways, making her way towards the waiting room.

Without a warning, she suddenly froze to the spot, staring through the window in utter shock and disbelief. There, on a same bench, sat Kenny and Zeo, first time for a long while seeming content with each other's company.

And despite everything, she had to smile just a little.

Perhaps at least one thing would work out before her time was through.

* * *

The sight Tala faced when stepping into the roof of the hospital made his heart wrench, and he found his eyes tingling for about millionth time that day.

There, his back against the wall and legs brought against his chest in a powerless, protective manner, sat Bryan, his face buried into his knees and shoulders (along with the whole body) quaking.

Never before had he seen the lavender-hared boy seem so small, so… fragile, human. Not even in the Abbey, where all nightmares had became reality and they'd all been almost crushed more than once.

Hesitating, he took a step closer, finding that Bryan still didn't seem to notice his presence. Giving a deep, heavy sigh, he stopped there, looking at the city spreading below. " Bry… I'm sorry."

Seeming frightened, the boy snapped his head up, looking at him. But the violet eyes soon turned cold and emotionless, diverting to some invisible target in horizon. " There's no point."

Doing his best to hide his anger and frustration, Tala squeezed his fists into balls. " I'm sorry…", he said again, voice deep and rough. " … for never… calling you. For leaving you out." He gulped thickly, giving the other a quick, remorse-ridden glance. " You… You are my brother, Bryan. You all are. I… I'm so sorry… for forgetting that."

Gosh, how hard Bryan tried to maintain his steely mask. But the facade betrayed him, and a soul tear managed to break its way through. " It's… okay."

Giving a deep sigh, Tala walked up to the lavender-hared teen, slumping down next to the boy. For a long moment, they sat in silence, both in their own thoughts, until he finally broke the silence. " This really stinks, you know?" He gulped a bit thickly, blinking. " First Aimi, and then…" His voice just wouldn't work anymore.

" What… what do you think we should do?" Never before had Bryan's voice been so small, so broken, and his eyes radiated those exactly same emotions. " Once Kai gets out of here… Do you think… we should take him to Russia, at least for a while? I mean… There, he wouldn't have all those memories…"

Tala's eyes became almost as dark as Tyson's when he shook his head. " I… just don't know anymore."

His lavender eyes darkening to a shade of rich purple, Bryan sank into his thoughts.

Gosh, it would've been so tempting to just drag Kai away from there. From Wyatt's ghost, Tyson, everything.

Perhaps that was the only way to get the real Kai back.

Just then, the door that lead to the roof was swung open with such velocity and volume that had he not been so tightly in control over himself, he would've jumped. Turning his hawk's gaze, he met panting Max standing there, leaning against the doorframe. " The… doctor… just came…"

* * *

" What the hell do you mean by you can't tell us? We're his friends, damnit!"

It wasn't hard for Mr. Dickinson to find his way to the right spot. Bryan's voice escorted him from pretty much as soon as he entered the huge building.

Opening the door to the waiting room, he found what was close to a state of war.

A sigh escaped him. " Oh dear…"

Max was standing close to dazed-looking Tyson, who sat on a bench, seeming like he hadn't budged for a long while. Aimi, most likely too worn out to move, had slumped nearby, bottomless annoyance glimmering in her eyes. Nearby her stood Kenny, Zeo and Akira, all looking like they might jump at the young male-doctor at any given minute. Bryan, on the other hand, was an inch from attacking the poor man, and it took both Tala and Ray to restrain him.

Hilary, obviously trying to work as the voice of reason despite her evident infuriation, stood nearby, trying to calm the incensed Russian. " Bryan, please, calm down! Do you seriously think it would do any good if you beat the crap out of that idiot?"

Bryan, choosing to ignore the girl, glared at the doctor with narrowed eyes, and hissed something in Russian that made Tala's face fall chalk-white.

Deciding to jump in before anyone would really get hurt, Mr. D spoke. " I assume you're Dr. Aikito, Kai's doctor?"

Tremendously relieved to hear one at least remotely friendly voice, the man nodded, running a hand trough his disheveled, ash-colored hair. " Yes. And you are Mr. Stanley Dickinson, Kai's guardian?"

He nodded, eyes darkening. " How is he?" Seeing that the man was eyeing at the teenagers, he made an addition. " Whatever you have to say, they are allowed to hear. They… they're the closest thing to a family Kai has."

The doctor nodded and gave a deep sigh that made everyone alarmed. " Because of the quite a bit of blood-loss…" He gathered his thoughts for a while. " On the way to hospital, and twice here, Kai almost went into a cardiac-arrest – that's why we worked on him for this long. And to be honest, I'm a bit worried about what this all has done to his heart. On top of that, his blood-pressure is also sky-high."

It was like someone had dropped a huge bucket of icy water onto the gang, and everyone's face fell ghostly pale. Max was the only one managing to at least whisper. " Is… is he okay?"

" We're still keeping an eye on his heart and blood-pressure. And it's clear that he's been eating far from enough. Plus, it seems that he has quite a fever. But the good news is that he's regained his consciousness."

Tyson immediately perked up, jumping up so fast that it must've made him feel dizzy. " Can I see him?"

Seeing the devastated look in the teen's stormy eyes, Dr. Aikito gave a nod. " But only for a short while. He really needs rest, and we just managed to get him to sleep."

Nodding eagerly, Tyson almost left the room, but was stopped by Dr. Aikito's words. " Before you go in, there's something you should know." The man gave a heavy sigh, clearly clueless of how to set his words. His eyes were filled with sadness. " I'm sorry for having to tell you this, but… he only fell asleep with heavy sedatives – waking up gave him quite a shock. And because of his… jump, we had to put him into a suicide-watch."

Mr. D felt like all air had been sucked out of his lungs, and judging by the teens' expressions, he could tell he wasn't the only one.

This… this just couldn't be real… This had to be a nightmare, a sick joke…

The Kai he knew… wouldn't be in a suicide-watch…

" I… I have to go…", he murmured, then quickly slipped out of the room.

As soon as he found a quiet corner, he buried his face into his furiously shaking hands and cried his heart out.

* * *

Soft, small voices pierced gray hue, and Kai frowned a little, trying to gather his thoughts.

Someone was with him – there was a soft, almost pleading hold on his hand, and he could hear whispered words, so quiet that he couldn't make out any of them. There were also sobs, tiny, but still audible.

He was utterly confused. Was… was someone crying over him?

What the hell had happened?

He desperately wanted to open up his eyes to see who was with him, but his eyelids were just too heavy.

After that, he must've dozed off, because when his eyelids finally agreed to open, all he met was blinding white.

Giving a tiny moan, he tried to shield his eyes, head buzzing with thoughts.

_Am I… dead?_

But then, this unimaginable pain radiating from his wrist flooded through him, and he had to bite his lip not to cry out.

Dead people weren't supposed to feel pain…

" Kai, are you awake?"

Startled, he blinked furiously, then slowly turned his gaze to see a girl wearing a hospital-gown sitting next to his bed, usually sparkling eyes filled with tears, worry and pain. " Aimi?" He blinked again and rubbed his face with one hand, trying to gain some concentration. " What… what happened?"

" Don't you remember?" There was a hint of anger in her voice, along with confusion and grief.

Frowning, Kai half-instinctively moved the hand, from which pain was still spreading into his entire being – and felt his heart leap unnaturally when seeing the thick, white bandage covering it.

His eyes widened a little. " Oh…"

And just then, he remembered. Wyatt's grave, the knife, the bridge, the fall that'd felt endless, ice-cold water embracing his body…

" Kai… Why… why did you do it?" Aimi's voice was sad, broken, and it caused a scratch to Kai's heart. When there was no reply, the girl asked again, agitatedly, urgently. " Why?"

Kai bit his lip, so hard that a coppery taste slipped to his tongue. Damnit… It killed him to hurt Aimi like this… But then again, it seemed hurting was all he could do to anyone – especially those he loved.

" … should've left me there…"

The murmured words sneaked their way out so swiftly that when Kai realized they were voiced, it was too late. A loud, almost wounded gasp came from Aimi's direction, and Kai quickly turned his face away, ashamed. " Kai…"

He gulped with huge difficulty, feelings like his eyes were on fire. " You… you should just… go… Please…"

" No." The tone was firm, unwavering. " Kai, I want you to look at me." When he refused to comply, the girl reached out a hand with a speed that surprised him, graphing his chin. She forced him to meet her flaming, affection-filled eyes. " You… you are like a brother to me, Kai. To all of us. And… when… when you pull up stunts like this… It's tearing us apart, because… we really do care about, you hear me?" Her eyes became soft, almost teary. " We… we need you. Now more than ever."

Kai had to blink, but despite that his cheeks became moist. " But… why would you…?" His voice died out.

Aimi sniffed. " Because… without you… this wouldn't be a home."

Something inside Kai broke as he watched the usually strong girl break down. Determinedly fighting away his own tears, he slowly, cautiously, wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm hug. Although he knew she'd never harm him, he jumped a bit in a reflex as she leaned her forehead against his shoulder, holding him tightly.

Feeling very tired all of a sudden, he closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh, surprised to find it shivering. Almost like he'd been… crying.

Discovering how tired he was, Aimi gave one more sniff and a tiny smile, releasing her hold of him very gradually, almost like fearing he might disappear when she'd let go. " You need rest… And so do I, I think." Her face grew solemn. " But… I don't want to leave you alone."

At first, he hesitated for a longest time, then carefully made room, allowing her to lie down next to him. A shiver of slight discomfort went through him as she wrapped another arm protectively around him and started stroking his hair, but the feeling quickly subsided – this was a friend, not Voltaire, Boris or one of their 'associates'. Contented silence fell on them as both were too tired to speak much.

" You should know…", the girl finally murmured, still stroking his hair. " Tyson was here before I came… He was basically so exhausted that he almost collapsed, so I told him to go home. It was way past visiting hours, anyway."

Kai felt a small twinge. So Tyson had been the one in his room…

The twinge grew thousand times worse as he realized properly what he'd done to the boy.

**¨**

/ _" Kai… You'll never hurt me like he did, right?"_ /

**¨**

Once again, Kai chewed his bottom-lip, staring at the spotlessly-white roof with glimmering eyes.

_Gosh, Tyson, forgive me… I tried to save you, I really did…_

But it seemed that no matter what Aimi or everyone else said, all he could create was destruction.

Giving a deep sigh, feeling completely worn out all of a sudden, he buried his face into Aimi's shoulder – and suddenly felt his chest tear as he realized that soon, the girl holding him would be gone. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Feeling tears of helplessness and rage want to break through, he held the girl a little more tightly, as though he'd had the power it took to make her stay.

Gosh, he was so fed up with losing everyone he held dear…

" Kai." Aimi's soft voice brought him back to reality. " Tyson… He really cares about you."

Yet again, he bit his lip, even harder than the last time. " Yeah… I know…" _He told me…_

" And you… you feel the same way for him, don't you?"

Kai's eyes grew dark as he drifted into his thoughts, not replying.

_I loved Wyatt, too. And it killed him._ He closed his eyes, feelings sleep slowly claiming him. _Whatever it takes, I'll make sure the same thing doesn't happen all over again._

* * *

It was almost unbearably quiet in Kai's apartment as Tyson sat on a couch, shivering all over and hugging his legs that were brought against his chest. He would've cried, had he not ran out of tears a long time ago. The fatigue pressuring his shoulders was so intense that he would've just wanted to fall asleep and preferably never wake up, but he was too tired to even close his eyes.

He jumped when his cell-phone suddenly went off. Picking up, he felt his heart race. Perhaps it was about Kai… " Y – yeah?"

" _This is officer Ioma Kouchiva. Am I speaking to Tyson Granger?_"

His racing heart almost stopped, stormy eyes became impossibly wide. _What the hell's going on?_ " Y – yes, I am… What… what is it?"

" _I thought I should call over and warn you._" There was a brief pause. " _Eight hours ago, a gun-dealer named Tento Aikowa was found shot from a motel-room. We have every reason to assume that he was shot by one of his own guns. He died in a hospital an hour ago._"

Tyson frowned. " I don't understand why that would concern me. I didn't even know him."

" _Well, apparently, he knew someone you might recognize. Before he died, he managed to tell us that about two weeks ago, a guy named Seiji bought a gun from him. He was worried about what Seiji might do, so he went into his motel room – and got shot._" There was a loud gulp. " _We're worried this Seiji might come after you next. You need protection._"

Tyson fell paler than snow, and all strength escaped from his system. It was almost impossible to breathe. Seiji… had shot someone? _Killed_ someone? _Oh my dear God…_ " It… it can't be…", he uttered, feeling his throat grow bone-dry. " Do you… Do you mean Seiji, Seiji Kazuhiko?"

" _Kazuhiko?_" The policeman sounded confused. " _Mr. Granger, his name is Seiji Balkov._"

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: IIIIIEEEEEEEEEEH! The plot truly thickens, doesn't it?

So… Seiji the bastardo is a Balkov… What the heck is he going to do? And how will Kai and Tyson both pull through? Plus, what did Emily decide? So much to unravel!

'Hope I'll see you all next time! It's up to the amount of reviews how fast I'll update. (Oh, I'm so not blackmailing!)

Don't forget to **VOTE** about the pregnancy/carrying daddy! It's still not too late to make a difference!

(desperately glances at the review-button) Please? Pretty please? (Remember, it's up to you when the next chapter appears.) (grins)

By for now! Be safe!


	7. AUTHOR’S NOTE

Hi you all!

First things first… I'm sorry I've kept you waiting for so long. I just… I've kinda been having this… loss of inspiration… or something like that. I'm hoping for it to bypass someday soon, so I'll be able to eventually give you guys a proper new chapter.

But I actually did have a question in mind… I've been asking you if you'd like to have another mpreg in the story. And well, as it seems you do, there's a question which one should be the one carrying the child: Kai or Tyson? At the moment, the situation is a tie, and I need a definite result before I can post another chapter. (As the next chapter skips forward two months, the pregnancy's gonna start to show, so…) Please, **vote** and tell me what you're thinking – that's the only way to make a difference! As soon as the result's cleared out (and this damn loss of inspiration is over) I'll try and send you guys a new chappy!

'Hope you're all still sticking around! Once again, sorry about the long wait, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your encouraging reviews! You guys are dear! (sends **HUGE** hugs)

Oh yeah… In case I won't be writing before that, happy new year to everyone!

Sandylee007

ps: I wouldn't detest the idea of reviews along with votes… Even one word would do… (grins)


	8. Promise me

A/N: Yes, yes, a update, finally! (makes a ridiculous happy dance) I'm so sorry it's taken me for so long, but as I told you, I've been having… well, a lack of inspiration… or something like that. Thank you so much for your patience! I hope this chappy will be worth the wait.

But before that… Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those reviews of yours! (HUGS) Without you guys, I would've never managed to write another chapter. Seriously.

Oh, and it seems the vote's been held and the decision is final… I actually considered making Tyson and Kai BOTH pregnant, but thankfully, you guys made the decision for me! (Thank you so much for that, too!) I hope you won't hate the result, but… well, you had your chance. (sighs) (The results can be counted from the reviews, in case you're curious.)

Okay, okay, let's move on! As I said, I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

* * *

**Chapter seven: Promise me**

**Two months later.**

The quiet, ticking sound of wall-clock was almost blissful to the teen who sat on a impossibly soft sofa, eyes closed.

One minute drifted by. Then another. Soon, the torture would be over.

" So… Are you still living with Tyson and Bryan?"

Tick…

Kai gave a tiny nod. " Yeah." Bryan had moved into his apartment as soon as he'd been released from the hospital – apparently not trusting him into Tyson's care only, no matter how loudly he protested being guarded.

Tick…

" How does it make you feel?"

Suddenly, the ticking was so loud that he feared it might explode his ears.

He gulped laboriously, feeling like he'd swallowed a cactus. " I… I just don't know." Extreme reluctance to talk seeped into his tone. Why wouldn't that woman just leave him be?

" I have a feeling it's not the only thing you don't know", the psychiatrist – a rather small woman named Dr. Ioma Koushiro – noted in a soft tone.

Kai bit his lip (annoying habit he'd failed to get over), feeling his hands squirming in his lap. " No, it isn't", he confessed, so quietly that he hoped the woman didn't hear. But it was more than probable she did.

Her chair made a small screech as he leaned forward, like she always did when sensing that there was even a small chance to get him to open up a bit. " Have your feelings for Tyson cleared out at all?"

He gave a deep sigh, still playing with his hands, and shook his head. " I… I still don't know if it's love, or even attraction." He frowned. " It's… hard to be close to him, knowing what he expects of me, but… It's like I… need him." _Though I wouldn't want to need anyone, not ever again. _" I can't imagine… things without him around."

He could almost sense Dr. Koushiro's deep, pondering frown, see how she tapped her lower lip with her pen, like she always did when processing something. " You said he's… expecting things from you."

Finally, Kai gained the strength to open up his eyes. They held a trapped look as he gazed through the window, giving a faint nod. " After that… incident just before my jump, things… have been lingering in the air, I guess. We still haven't really talked about it, and I think I owe him an explanation. And for the past two months, he's been unusually quiet." _Like he's hiding something._

The doctor nodded, making notes. " I suppose Tyson isn't the only one expecting things."

Kai lowered his gaze to his now visible wrists, which held deep, chilling scars. " They… they just want me to get better. And I appreciate it. It's just…" His eyes darkened a bit. " I know this is a terrible thing to say, but… It would be easier if… if they wouldn't be around so much."

" It's not terrible at all, Kai. According to what you've told me, you've always been a private person. It takes a lot to get used to people being around you at all times. But unfortunately, there's no other choice, not until we're sure you're well again", the doctor noted, once again speaking in this soft, gentle tone. There was another screech as she again leaned forward: this was the closest to Kai she'd gotten since they'd started these sessions. There was a short pause when she allowed him to gather his thoughts. " What about the nightmares? Are you still having them?"

Reluctantly, Kai gave a nod, once again losing himself into the clock's soft sound.

Wasn't this torment ever going to be over?

" Kai." Dr. Koushiro's voice was now almost stern, as she sensed that the connection between them was disappearing. There was a tiny smile upon her face. " You've come far during the past two months. You know that, right?" The smile widened just a little. " Just hang in there, okay? That's all I'm asking you to promise me."

Kai nodded, in a state close to daze, and wrapped his arms around himself. Had the room just turned colder?

But she wasn't through with him yet. The next question felt like about a dozen of daggers had been plunged straight through his heart. The question he feared more than anything once again punctured the air, just like it did during every session. " So… Are you now ready to talk about Wyatt?"

A familiar sting came to Kai's eyes, it was suddenly difficult to breathe.

* * *

/ _Standing on a pier, he could feel Wyatt's warm, soft hand finding his, squeezing tentatively. Shocked at first, he gave a small gasp, not really sure of how he should've felt about the touch. Then, slowly, the other's warmth seemed to seep into him as well, and he squeezed back softly._

_A simple gesture that held so much. A promise._

_At that moment, even though Kai didn't realize it just yet, Wyatt held much more than his hand._ /

* * *

Kai shook his head.

* * *

In Kai's apartment, Tyson wiped his mouth with a shaky hand while emerging from a bathroom, face ghostly pale.

How many mornings of sickness had he had? This had probably went on for about two months already, and sometimes, he could've sworn he felt something moving inside his stomach. Perhaps it was a result of all the stress – having to hide both the secret of Seiji's heritage and his condition from Kai's pretty much all-seeing eyes wasn't exactly easy task. It made things little less tricky that due to horrifying nightmares, Kai usually couldn't sleep too well even with his pills, so the Russian mostly slept later in the morning than he did. Kai'd never seen him spilling out his guts.

Rubbing his deeply discontented stomach with a frown, Tyson tossed into kitchen, where Bryan was emptying a mug of nauseatingly strong coffee while idly flipping through the day's paper. " Sick again?" the boy inquired, not looking his way.

Unfortunately, Bryan was always awake early in the morning, and very much aware of his little problem. Despite the fact that they were about to strangle or beat up each other most of the time (only Kai's presence restrained them from resorting to violence), the lilac-hared teen was almost scarily observant when it came to him (probably wanting to learn everything possible about the enemy).

" Yeah", he murmured, suddenly feeling very hungry (probably thanks to emptying his stomach all morning). Still rubbing his abdomen, he headed towards the fridge. " Do we have any pickles?"

Bryan snorted, taking a long, enjoying gulp of his drink. " You've been eating that stuff like a maniac for three weeks. Miraculously, there should be some left, though."

Taking the treat and falling heavily to a chair, Tyson gave a long, content sigh when feeling his stomach finally settle.

The discomfort, however, soon returned as Bryan looked at him, hawk's eyes sharp. " You should go and see a doctor about that nausea."

His eyes flashed with annoyance when he took some of his treat, savoring the taste. " I'm completely fine."  
If he was mildly annoyed, Bryan seemed pissed. " Don't you dare lie to me, Granger", the Russian growled. " If you really want to try and help Kai, you've gotta be okay yourself. Otherwise he'll end up as the one to look after you."

As much as Tyson would've wanted to argue back, he couldn't. He knew Kai. If the phoenix-bearer would ever find out about him being sick, all hell would break lose.

" Fine", he huffed. " I'll go and see that damn doctor if it gets you off of my back."

" I'll make damn sure you will."

Just then, the door of the apartment opened, and familiar footsteps echoed as Kai entered. It took a long while before the dual-hared teen entered the kitchen, eyes red and puffy.

Both Bryan and Tyson immediately frowned. " Hey, you okay?" the bluenette inquired.

Kai nodded a little, seeming to be deep in thought. " Yeah." Noticing their looks of concern and doubt, the boy quickly formed a small, fickle smile. " Honestly."

Bryan rolled his eyes. " Now there's something we haven't heard before…"

Kai's eyes obtained a look close to desperation, and anyone could tell how hard his thin body was shivering. The boy was barely in control over himself. " Bry… Don't. I'm fine." There seemed to be a slight steely screech in his voice.

Fury lit into Tyson stormy eyes, and both Russians could've sworn there was a audible growl. " Kuznetsov, leave him alone. Does he look like he's in a need of interrogation?"

Kai inwardly screamed out in frustration as he witnessed the two start out their about millionth glaring-contest.

_Damnit…_

Although he usually played the role of a peacemaker, he just couldn't handle this right now. Not when his head felt like it'd been exploding.

" I'm taking a small walk, 'k?" he muttered, and was out before the two could utter a word of protest.

* * *

Meanwhile in Ray and Akira's apartment – that was becoming very, very packed with Max also staying in while waiting for any clue whatsoever of Emily's whereabouts – Akira, Kenny and Max were laying on a couch while Ray paced around and took distressed looks at his wristwatch.

" Ray, Oliver's only been in a bathroom for four minutes", Kenny noted, sounding more than slightly annoyed.

" Yes", Akira confirmed. " And your eyes have been glued onto that cursed thing for the entire time."

Ray gave a deep sigh, slumping to the couch next to the others. " Sorry", he murmured, stealing one more glance. " I just… I'm worried. There's been so many problems…"

As Oliver was already six months pregnant, the two had been forced to break the news to their friends – after all, the little one refused to stay hidden forever. Besides, the group had started to get increasingly suspicious with the French constantly spending time in a hospital, suffering from 'severe stomach-flue'. Now, a full army of upcoming uncles and aunts was driving the poor lime-green hared boy out of his mind with fussing around. But (despite the fact that he and Max still hadn't sorted out all their 'issues') the worst of them all was Ray, who would've probably followed his ex-boyfriend into the toilet if given a chance. It was purely because of the baby, he claimed, but the poor neko-jin had never been a good liar.

" Relax", Akira interrupted the Chinese, giving a smile. " It's completely normal that those suffering from morning sickness spent this much time in a bathroom."

The raven hared teen blinked, seeming surprised. " How would you know?"

For a while, a strange, almost scared look flashed in the girl's eyes, turning into one of tremendous relief when Oliver finally emerged from the bathroom. " I've gotta go."

When Akira got up, both Ray and Max arched their eyebrows at what they got to witness. It lasted for just a flash of moment, but they still managed to notice how the girl's hand accidentally brushed Kenny's, and both hands almost twitched of searing desire to grasp on each other. Akira was too tightly in control over herself to let it show, but for a moment, blush was evident on Kenny's pale cheeks.

But then, the moment was over – like it'd been just a fragment of imagination – and Akira disappeared from the room.

**¨**

Having slumped to a seat, taking deep, evening breaths while holding a glass of ice-cold water, Oliver filched when hearing a familiar voice. " Morning sickness, I presume?"

He gave a small, tentative nod, swallowing determinedly as yet another wave of sickness stubbornly attempted to break through. " Yeah…"

Not saying a word, she walked up to a fridge, picking out some things. Oliver watched with curiosity and wonder as she took a bowl, pouring in some vanilla-yogurt and crushed ginger. " Is that… going to help?" he asked, deeply skeptical.

The girl smirked, handing over the rather strange delicacy. " I know it seems… well, not too appealing, but it should do wonders to the sickness."  
He blinked in marvel. " You sound like an expert."

The seemingly harmless words affected on the girl like she'd been shot. Her whole body jolted visibly, and her face tightened as she grit her teeth, purple eyes darkening to near-black. " I… There's something… I need to do." With those words, she got up as fast as she could.

Oliver immediately chewed his lip in quilt. " Aki… Sorry. I… I know it's none of my business, but…" He tried to gulp down the question, but once again, curiosity took the best of him. " Have you been…?" He gestured towards his considerably swelled belly.

For a long, stilled moment, Akira stood completely still with her back to him, almost like stoned. Then, still not looking his way, she gave a nod so small he hardly noticed it. " Yes." The word was left lingering heavily into the air as she disappeared, leaving Oliver with many new questions.

**¨**

The others gave frowns of worry when noticing the distraught, almost teary look upon her face as she emerged. " Aki?" Max asked.

" You okay?" Kenny filled in.

The girl gave a smile that was obviously a fake one. " Dandy." She then noticed something on the floor – nearby the door – and picked it up. " Hey, Maxie, there's a letter for you."

Frowning yet again, the blonde took a perfect catch as she threw the letter to him. His heart made about thousand back-flips and his eyes widened to amazing size when he immediately recognized the handwriting. " Em?"

* * *

The taste of rusty iron in their mouths meant nothing to Tala and Zeo as they kept running, looking like they'd been chased or possessed. Both their eyes were flaming dangerously while they kept an eye on each other, keenly searching for any signs of weakness. " Ready… to give… in?" Tala inquired through heavy pants.

Shaking his head, Zeo gave a wheezing laughter. " Not… giving you… such pleasure… wolfie."

Tala's eyes flashed dangerously. " You're gonna… pay for that."

" Make me."

For a moment, they kept running along in rather peaceful silence. Suddenly, a change of mood could clearly be sensed in the air as Tala realized that he had to ask something that'd sting the other greatly. He gave the other a tentative look before forcing the words out. " How's… Aimi?"

Despite the fact that he'd seen the change for hundreds of times since Aimi's diagnosis, it still stung Tala to see Zeo's sparkling green eyes turn dark and miserable, pained.

Zeo had to use all his self-control not to break down once again when a picture of Aimi appeared to his eyes. Not the Aimi he'd met, the one who'd been like a wild-beast on beyblade-arena. But the one he escaped to these jogs every morning: the one who'd lost all her hair, the one who's mouth was too sore to allow eating, the one who was so painfully thin it was almost impossible to hold her, the one who couldn't stop vomiting. The one… the one who was… fading.

He gulped thickly, tasting both copper and salt from the tears he swallowed down. " She's… hanging on…" Though truth to be told, he wasn't too sure if he thought holding on was the right thing for her to do anymore. Because… this Aimi wasn't the real one.

Mercifully, he was spared from having to think about that any longer. Both joggers halted with deep frowns when they saw the familiar figure leaning against a bridge-railing.

" Kai?" Zeo wheezed, feeling his chest tighten with unnerving thoughts.

A gulp could be heard when Tala looked at him. " You… go ahead. I… I'll come… in a minute."

When Zeo had obeyed with a nod, Tala took a deep, steadying breath, then approached his friend, all too aware of the fact that it was the very same bridge Kai had two months back jumped from. " Kai?" he called out.

Blinking, the boy looked at him, torn, almost lost look in his eyes. " What… are you doing here?"

" Just happened to pass by." He gave a small hiss when noticing how badly Kai was shivering, and realized that there was no jacket covering the teen against the biting coldness of winter. Sending mental curses to the dual-hared teen's room-mates' way for letting him out like this, he took off his own jacket, wrapping it around Kai.

For a short moment, they remained in silence, until the burning question left his tongue. " Kai… Why did you come here?"

There was a shivering sigh. The boy refused to look at him. " I just… had to prove to myself…"

He frowned, confused even further. " Prove what?"

There was a long, stone-heavy silence, until… " That I… I don't have to jump."

The reply made Tala's heart jump with something close to panic, and almost reflexively he wrapped his arms around the other, as though desperately trying to protect him. The teen first tensed to his unexpected touch, but quickly relaxed. It didn't take for long before he felt Kai's still far too slender form fidgeting with something aside coldness.

As he held on even more tightly, something Bryan had said two months earlier came echoing into his ears.

" Once Kai gets out of here… Do you think… we should take him to Russia, at least for a while? I mean… There, he wouldn't have all those memories…"

Suddenly, the thought didn't sound foolish at all to him.

His eyes narrowed and hardened.

He'd do anything to protect Kai from all those shadows.

Discovering that Kai's shivering was deteriorating, he forcefully shook those thoughts away. When he spoke, his voice was nothing but soft and tender. " C'mon, let's get you inside before you'll freeze to death."

* * *

As soon as he was in the safety of a balcony, Max opened Emily's letter with hands that didn't seem to want to work on his will. After decades, it seemed to him, the letter finally fell out, floating as softly as a snowflake to his lap.

Blinking stupidly for few times, he picked it up.

_Dear Max,_

_I'm sure you don't understand why I'm doing this, because I don't think I do even myself. At first, I thought I was leaving because of that ridiculous showdown of you and dad's, but now…_

_For a longest time, I've been questioning everything in my life. But you've always been the one thing I've been able to count on. Now, I know I've been unfair to you; I've been clinging to you desperately, holding you down. I've been wandering in this stupid insecurity for so long that I don't even know what I feel for you anymore. And you deserve so much more. That's I left; to find myself, so I can one day find what I want for us._

_I'm not asking you to wait for me, because truthfully, I'm not sure if even a lifetime is enough to complete this stupid exploration of mine. And I'm begging you to promise me that you won't try to follow me, since this is something I have to do by myself._

_I'm so sorry for having to do this, but it wouldn't be fair to either one of us if I'd stay as a shell of myself. I'll miss you, and I'm praying that one day, you'll be able to forgive me for ditching you like this._

_Love,_

_Emily._

For a moment, Max just sat there, completely paralyzed by her words, feeling like all air had been sucked from his lungs. Then, suddenly, biting breath of wind caressed the piece of paper – and his eyes detected that the paper held a logo of a hotel.

His insides instantly turned chilly as his soul was torn in two.

Ever since the… incident with Kai, Emily hadn't even called. Well, to him at least. And… He was pretty sure she knew what'd happened: certain magazines just loved it when horrible things like that happen to people. She hadn't been there when he'd needed her the most. It wasn't exactly easy to push that fact aside.

He wanted an explanation. He _deserved_ an explanation.

And most of all… He needed her.

**¨**

Inside, Ray was just finishing up with a long yoga-practice Akira had taught him when the balcony-door was thrown open with such violence that he jumped with fright.

A small growl escaped him. " Damnit Max, are you trying to give me a heart-attack?"

The blonde gave him a apologetic smile while practically dashing by. " Sorry."

Watching his friend's hurry, the neko-jin frowned with wonder and suspicion. " Where's the fire?"

Not giving him a single look, the blonde rapidly stuffed his clothes and other stuff into his bag. " I… I know I should stay – because of Kai and… everything – but Emily… She sent me a letter. And… I've gotta do something before it's too late."

Ray blinked, processing the words that'd been spoken so fast they'd been scarcely comprehensible. " Um… How long will you be gone?"

The blonde shook his head. " As long as it takes."

He nodded again, slowly, still deeply confused. " Where exactly are you going?"

" To Mexico."

* * *

" Aimi? Are you asleep?"

Slowly, she inched her eyelids, her head feeling so groggy that it was extremely difficult to concentrate. " I… suppose… I was" She rubbed her eyes, then looked around and gave a deep sigh on contentment. " Home…"

As the brutal fact was that she only had some months to live, her doctor had decided that she didn't have to spent that precious time in a hospital – especially as she'd repeatedly announced she hated the place after spending what felt like a lifetime locked inside of it. Now, she was in the place that most felt like a home to her; her dorm-room.

Kenny – who'd taken her out of the hospital as Zeo was busy with schoolwork – carried her for a couple of more steps, then gently, carefully, laid her to her bed, making sure she was comfortable before letting go. " Here we go… You feeling okay?"

She gave a faint nod, urge to close her eyes almost irresistible when exhaustion waved over her. " Yeah… Just a bit iffy, because of the drugs."

The boy also nodded. " I'm gonna get you some milk", he almost whispered, knowing that it was the only thing that could make her feel at least slightly better.

She smiled a little. " Thanks."  
She must've dozed off at some point, because the next thing she knew was Kenny carefully taking a seat on her bedside, offering her a glassful of white liquid. Giving him a look of gratitude, she took the offering and tasted almost cautiously. His eyes fell, fixing to his hands that squirmed uncomfortably in his lap.

It took a while before she noticed the thick, heavy silence of discomfort that'd fallen on them. And it wasn't until then she realized that they still hadn't talked about the whole… 'triangle-situation'. It wasn't like they hadn't tried to, because they had – for bazillion times and more. But each time, either one of them wasn't ready. And the silence always grew louder, sucked them deeper into its embrace.

Sighing inwardly, she focused on her drink.

_Crap._

It was almost as though Kenny had read her mind. There was a loud, clearly evident gulp, before the boy spoke quietly. " Look, Aimi, I… I'm sorry. For everything." The boy gulped again, blinking furiously. " I never meant to… to make things hard on you or make you choose, ever. I… I never wanted to… lose you."

Aimi felt her heart melt, and a tired smile came to her face. " You won't lose me, Kennie. Ever." Suddenly, she found herself feeling ashamed, and bowed her head. " I… I'm sorry, too. For making you doubt."

Not saying a word, the boy helped her into a sitting position and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. Contently she rested her head against his shoulder, enjoying the warmth he emitted. This time, the silence that closed around them was a comfortable one.

Neither was exactly sure of for how long they'd been sitting there before Kenny slowly got up, stretching. " 'Suppose I should go… I promised Akira I'd pick her up from the hospital." Much to her dismay, Akira hadn't been able to escort Kenny and her sister out of the 'house of horrors', as they called it, because she'd been forced to do some paperwork.

Feeling a hint of disappointment, Aimi nodded. " 'K. See you around." Just when he was about to go, a thought crossed her mind. " Wait… Can I ask you a favor?"

Surprised, he nodded. " Sure. What is it?"

" Could you give me some paper and a pen?"

* * *

Tala woke up from his light slumber in a flash of a second when a hand was placed onto his shoulder. Quicker than a blind of an eye, his own hand reached out, roughly graphing the one touching him, causing a small yelp of startle and pain. " Relax, wolfboy. It's just me."

Opening his eyes, he found a pair of ruby orbs gazing back at him. " Hil? What…?"

She gave a lopsided smile. " The movie-theater was kinda lonely without you."

Tala frowned, then cursed in Russian as he clicked. " Oh damn… I'm so sorry, I just…"

Her smile widened. " I know. Kai told me you two did some… talking."

Another frown furrowed Tala's delicate eyebrows. " Kai?" His eyes then widened as he remembered. " Shit… I was supposed to keep an eye on him… What if…?"

Hurriedly, he tried to get up, but Hilary's hand firmly held him down. " He's okay. I met him on my way here, and walked him home." Eyes turning warm, she gave his forehead a small peck, running a hand through his silky red hair. " In fact, he told me to come and see you."

Yet again, the redhead found himself confused. " Why?" Pointless question, really, but he was still too much in a sleep to think quite clearly.

Hilary rolled her eyes. " Well, in case you've forgotten, you're supposed to be my boyfriend. And for some incomprehensible reason, I care about you beyond belief. Plus, we've all had quite rough time lately. Kai's… situation, Aimi, Oliver, Tyson versus Bryan and… everything. I know I'm exhausted."

Tala opened his mouth to argue, only to find that he couldn't. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Hilary was on to something. He was dead-tired – enough so to fall asleep when trying to determine whether it was safe to let Kai go back home or not. " You're right", he reluctantly muttered, rubbing his face with one hand to straighten his head.

Hilary smirked arrogantly. " Aren't I always?" She then got up, heading towards kitchen. " I'll make you some coffee. Perhaps it'll wake you up."

Tala didn't attempt to protest. When he was getting giddier than Tyson, there was definitely a need for something extra strong to wake him up.

Forcing his slender form into a sitting position, he was surprised to find a blanket covering him. He didn't remember getting it himself.

_Kai must've tugged me in before he left_, he concluded, feeling a stab of quilt for momentarily becoming yet another thing for the dual-hared teen to worry about.

He'd probably sunken into his thoughts for a while, because the next thing he realized happening was Hilary coming back with two steaming mugs of almost intolerably strong coffee. (He'd taught the girl to like such.)

Deciding that he'd have to bring out the subject of taking Kai temporarily to Russia sooner or later, he took a steeling breath, then spoke. " About Kai… Do you think he's getting better?"

The brunette blinked surprised. " I suppose, yeah." Her forehead wrinkled. " Why are you asking?"

" Just…" He stared at the almost black liquid in his mug, almost like wishing it would've given him some sort of an answer. " It's been two months, and he still seems so… un-Kai-like."

" These things take time", Hilary stated softly, without a slightest trace of doubt. Her hand brushed his. " I know it sucks, but right now, all we can do is wait and trust him." He could feel her eyes examining him. " Do you trust him?"

Tala almost jolted with surprise. He opened his mouth, about to respond, but it snapped back closed as words wouldn't drop out.

He did trust Kai – hell, he would've given his life into the boy's hands without hesitation. And he knew that the boy was possibly the strongest person he'd ever met. But this… This wasn't a bey-battle, a test or one of the Abbey's training-sessions. No one – not even he – had ever received such faith from Kai Wyatt had during the tragically short time the two'd had. And truth to be told, he wasn't sure if the brunette's death had given Kai a blow the Russian would never recover from.

Icy eyes squinted, and hands squeezed the mug tightly though it burned. " … unfair…"

Hilary blinked in surprise, turning the gaze of her ruby eyes to her boyfriend, who's shoulders were hunched with something close to defeat. She then cracked a small, crooked smile, giving a brief, bitter laughter. " True", she admitted quietly, taking a sip of her own coffee and scowling at the raw taste. " You know… Sometimes it feels like this place is… cursed or something. It seems we're the only happy ones in here." She gave another laughter and shook her head, amused by her thoughts. " At times, I actually feel guilty because we're not suffering."

Tala gave a small, brief ghost of a smile, not really paying attention. Once again, his head was buzzing with thoughts.

There was nothing he could do to save Aimi, no matter how badly he would've wanted to, nor could he bring Wyatt back. And there was also no way he could help the others with their matters of heart, or Oliver with the hellish pregnancy.

But Kai… There _was_ actually something he'd be able to do for Kai. And he'd make damn sure he wouldn't have to lose his best friend, his brother.

Even if it would take dragging the boy to the other side of the world.

* * *

Kai wasn't surprised to find the lights still on when he entered his apartment that'd became rather… crowded lately. Not saying a word, he kicked off his shoes, then tossed into the living room, following the sound of TV. The sight that greeted him actually almost dug out a frail, genuine smile.

On a sofa, legs crossed and arms folded across his chest, Tyson had fallen asleep, some navy hair straying to his forehead. His breathing was calm and even as he lingered in a deep sleep, forehead and lips forming a slight, adorable pout. On his other hand, the teen held a cell-phone, that'd most likely been used quite a number of times before sleep had taken the best of him.

He had to fight a bit against a sigh. The bluenette hadn't had it easy for the past two months.

As everyone had been treating him like a piece of glass, Kai didn't know quite every detail, much because Tyson refused to tell him everything. But he'd seen how carefully the police kept an eye on his apartment for a long while, and it hadn't taken long for to him to figure out that, once again, Seiji was behind the mess.

Still, after all the time passed, his eyes squinted at the mere thought of the cursed name.

Would Seiji set a foot into his house, he'd skin the asshole alive. No question about it.

Shaking the bloodthirsty thoughts away, he slowly walked up to Tyson, gently covering the smaller boy with a blanket. (Just like he'd done to Tala some hours earlier.) Only half-aware of what he was doing, he ran a hand tenderly across the boy's cheek, stroking the midnight-blue locks with a couple of fingers.

" Kai?"

He blinked, not quite understanding, and quickly ripped his hand off of the sleeping boy while lifting his gaze to find Bryan stood by the doorway. " Why are you still awake?"

Annoyance, along with worry, flickered in the lavender orbs. " I could ask you the same thing. Where the heck were you?"

It wasn't until then Kai realized it was for over an hour since he left from Tala's. He sighed. " Sorry… I guess I lost a track of time."

For a long moment, Bryan studied his face – almost like evaluating – then seemed slightly reassured, perhaps even relieved. " Have you eaten?"

A smile tugged the corner's of his lips. " Stop fussing, Kuznetsov. It's unnerving."

The lavender hared teen's mouth twitched a little as something resembling to a smile threatened to break through. His eyes, however, refused to let go of their worry. " Then quit giving me reasons to, Hiwatari", the boy half-snarled, then gave a deep sigh, rubbing his temple. " You've skipped taking your pills again."

Kai winced despite himself. Damn Bryan and his perceptiveness… Did the boy count his pills? " They make me feel queasy. I… I can't think." Though he felt queasy no matter what he tried to gulp down, so it didn't make much difference.

Bryan's eyes squinted a little. " You're gonna have to start taking them again, you know? Otherwise… we'll be down on _that_ road again." It didn't take a genius to see the emotion close to terror flickering in the boy's eyes. Having to see Kai in a hospital bed like that – expression black, face as pail as his sheets – had been almost too hard for the teen to bear. And whatever it would take, Bryan would make sure he'd never have to see it again.

For a moment, Kai seemed almost entrapped, troubled by such a degree of worry and affection. Then, slowly, his auburn eyes turned soft and he gave a sigh. " I'll try."

Bryan didn't look fully satisfied, but not as agitated anymore as the boy gave a nod. " 'K then." Just then, the lavender hared teen lost control over his apparently extreme fatigue, and gave a yawn, seeming to be about to collapse. " Damn…"

Kai's eyes hardened. " Go to bed. I'm not going to carry you to bed if you doze off there." Not that he actually would've had the strength to carry anyone…

Reluctance appeared to the other's eyes. " What about you?"

" I'll go to bed soon." He cracked a thin smile. " 'Night, Bry."

Bryan returned the gesture, then yawned again. " G'night." And so he tossed away.

Left alone, Kai found himself plopping to the edge of the couch Tyson was sleeping on, observing the calmly breathing youth's face. His thoughts gained a will of their own.

The day Wyatt had sucked in his last, pain-filled breath in his arms, he'd felt like… sinking. The surge took him with such force that he had no chance of fighting it on his own. And for a longest time, he hadn't even wanted to. But then… There'd been a hand, stretched out for him with desperation and… something else, something much deeper.

/ _" Kai, I… I love you."_ /

" You scared me. Badly." The whisper broke out before he managed to restrain himself, like a stream of water through bone-dry land. Kai gulped laboriously, still looking at Tyson's innocent face bathing in the silvery light. Then, he shook his head, furiously biting back tears. " I… I'm sorry, but.. I'm just not ready. I… I can't let go yet." He gulped again, breath shivering. " But, you should know… I lo…"

He couldn't. Just… He wasn't sure, not yet, not so fast.

And so he forced himself up and scrambled away, painfully swallowing down the words that desperately wanted out.

This, these feelings… weren't right. He wouldn't do this to Tyson, too.

One death was enough.

* * *

Tyson didn't know for how long he'd been asleep when something – a tingling sensation in his spine – suddenly lured him awake. His stormy eyes opened a little, trying to gain focus.

Something was wrong.

The thought struck him like a thunderbolt, and the eyes snapped completely open, terrified.

" Kai?"

Heart racing, he got up much faster than his head would've allowed him to, and stumbled towards the bathroom, some instinct or hunch guiding him. The journey took forever due to his spinning head, and he had to support himself against the wall to stay up.

Perhaps it was due to his wooziness he didn't see the bloodied hand-marks on the walls.

The first thing that alarmed him was the slightly, ominously, open bathroom door, the light shining chillingly from behind it. The stains of blood on the door sent cold shivers down his spine. He gulped loudly, approaching. " K – Kai?"

Shivering furiously, he pulled the door open, not sure if he wanted to do so – and immediately gave a feral scream of such terror there's no name to it.

Sprawled to the floor laid Kai, eyes closed and face ash-gray, lips deadly blue. The pool of mostly dried blood below him was hopelessly huge.

Tyson didn't know the cry came from him, didn't care. " NO!"

With a speed of a lighting, he was at the Russian's side, carefully – as though something made of glass – he gathered the chillingly cold body into his arms, fervently searching for the wound, for any sign of life whatsoever.

His eyes widened to size anyone would consider impossible when he saw the bullet-hole on the boy's chest – precisely where the heart was – and another one on his stomach. " Oh my God…"

Terror turning into something even deeper, incomprehensible, he searched for a pulse, a single breath or a faintest rise of chest. There was nothing, absolutely nothing.

Searing hot tears ran down his cheeks as he pulled Kai's heartbreakingly still, feather-light form close, held on as tightly as he possibly could. " No… Please, no…" He felt like choking. " You… you can't, you… Please…"

And just then, he spotted a small piece of paper laying on the floor, so caked with blood that the words were barely visible.

_You shouldn't have even tried. You belong to me, little dragon._

_Seiji_

Squeezing his burning eyes close and tightening his hold on Kai, Tyson threw his head back and gave such a howl of utter agony, desperation, rage and sorrow that it wasn't even human.

**¨**

Tyson's eyes snapped open and he desperately sucked in a breath, feeling like suffocating – almost like he'd submerged from the deepest of waters. His hand instinctively flew to his stomach in a protective manner. " Oh dear God…"

It… it was just a nightmare… It had to be… Had to…

Those frantic thoughts were suddenly cut when the sharp dial-tone of his cell-phone pierced the quiet room. He was trembling so badly that it took a long time before he finally managed to graph the phone, let alone pick up. " H – hello?"

" _Well hello, Tyson. Have you had a nice time with that little bastard of yours?_"

His eyes widened and heart started to race madly. Blood in his veins was nothing but ice. " S – Seiji?"

" _You've been straying long enough, little dragon. It's time to remind you of who you really belong to._"

His eyes squinted, a growl of fury escaped his lips. " If you come anywhere near me or my friends, you son of a bitch…"

" _There, there. Remember that it only takes me one lift of a finger to destroy those pathetic excuses of human-beings you call friends – and that toyboy of yours. You don't want me to do that, do you?_" Tyson couldn't find words to bite back from his shock. " _Thought so. Now… I'm coming. Soon, you'll be back where you belong. Then, I'll help you fulfill your true destiny._" And with that, the boy hung up.

Tyson's heart continued racing as he stared at his cell-phone, eyes still widened. " No…"

Suddenly, the darkness and silence around him turned threatening as unpredictable fate created yet another twist.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, yet another cliffhanger. (dodges sharp objects) You guys so hate me, don't you?

Uh… So very many questions to answer… and TWO babies on the way! I doubt the spin's gonna get any easier. (grins)

Owkay, without further mambo jambo, 'hope I'll see you all next time! (And I promise, this time the update will come A LOT faster!)

Please, do click that cute little "review" button! You guys must know how much I love reading you opinions!

Until next time, everyone! Byes!

(Btw, that damn alert-system's been down for ages – on my computer, at least. Are you guys having the same problem?)


	9. Ties that bind

A/N: Yeippee, another chapter's done! (bounces around like a madman)

As always, before continuing… Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those amazing reviews and PM's you guys have bothered to send me! (HUUUUUUGS) You can't possibly imagine how dear I hold you!

And about the angst… I know there's been quite a bit of it (to put it mildly), but in this (and especially after the next one following this) the amount should slowly start to reduce. There's been quite a bit of problems, but – heh – you know what they say. To get back up, you have to hit the rock-bottom. (grins)

(Wow, this is probably my most random/insane A/N ever!) (sweatdrops)

Okay, okay, before I'll bore you guys to death and/or scare the survivals away with my rambling, let's get on! Here's chapter eight, in which you'll get to know Aimi and Akira a little bit better. 'Hope it didn't turn out too horribly.

* * *

**Chapter eight: Ties that bind**

/ _The first thing seven-years old Akira heard when she woke up was a scream. " … bitch!" The scream was followed by a sound she – despite her young age – knew all too fell. There was a thud as the force of the punch threw its target to the floor. " … respect, damnit!"_

_No…_

_Terror pumped through Akira's veins as she slowly, slowly got up from her bed, wincing as it gave a soft screech of protest. If she'd be spotted…_

_Her steps were soundless as she made her way out of the room, tossing through the filthy hallway, towards living room, from where the sounds were heard. Approaching, she could hear the vicious yells even more clearly. Tears stung her eyes. " … ever talk to me again, the next smack will hurt even more. You get that?"_

_Even though every single cell in body begged her not to, she still had to peak. What she found made tears fall, although she'd seen it for countless of times before._

_Their mother – her shortcut, black-dyed hair messy and filthy, chilling look in her glazed purple eyes – was holding whimpering, writhing Aimi's hair so tightly that tears had gathered into the girl's eyes. " M – mom… Let go… Please… You… you're hurting me! Please… Let go!" There was such a pull that the girl cried out, tears escaping. " I… I'm sorry… Just let go… I'm begging you!"_

_Without a slightest warning, the woman raised her hand, and swung her daughter with such force that her head jerked sideways. The moment Aimi hit the floor, barely even semi-conscious and a river of blood escaping from her nose, Akira couldn't hold it back anymore. She screamed at the top of her small lungs._

_Her mother's flaming eyes immediately whipped towards her. But before she could take a step, a pair of warm, strong arms wrapped around her from behind. " Shh, Kira… It'll be okay", a affectionate male-voice whispered into her ear._

_Closing her eyes and crying helplessly, she cling to the man as tightly as she possibly could. She gave a sob. " Daddy…"_

" _I'm taking you to bed", the man kept whispering, carrying her somewhere. " It'll be okay, I promise… Everything will work out…"_

_**¨**_

_That night, she woke up for a second time to sounds of loud shouting coming from their front-yard. Frowning, she sauntered to the window, peering out._

_Outside, her mother was standing beside a car, accompanied by a man wearing a police-uniform. Both were screaming at each other. While spitting out words, she charged empty bottles at him, which he barely managed to dodge._

_She blinked in confusion. " Daddy?"_

_As she watched, her mother ripped off the car-keys her father was trying to hold, then jumped into the car and started it. All her dad could do was watch as she drove off. He, or their daughters, never saw her since._

_One year later, they were left alone as their father disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a short note saying 'I'm sorry'. From thereon, it was Aimi's responsibility to take care of Akira._ /

* * *

Akira was ripped out of her memories by Kenny's voice. " Aki… Are you sure about this?"

Without a hint of hesitation, she nodded firmly, straightening herself on his bed she was sitting on, while the boy typed furiously on his laptop. " Yeah, I am." Her eyes stung, but she refused to allow herself the pleasure of crying. " This… This is Aimi's last birthday. He'll have to be there." _He'll have to care that much, right?_

In the middle of all the hassle and horrors, Akira had almost forgotten Aimi's birthday, which would take place in a little over month.

As much as the mere idea repulsed Akira, she knew her sister wouldn't live to see another birthday after this. And that's why she was going to throw her a party no one would ever forget. And their dad – even though they hadn't seen him for years – would have to be there. She refused to believe that these years would've wiped his daughters off of his mind.

Suddenly, Kenny's eyes grew. " Did you say Aden Naikoma?"

She felt her heartbeat shoot up. " Yeah. Why so?"

Slowly, Kenny lifted his gaze and looked at her, blinking in daze. " I found him."

* * *

Kai had tried everything he could think of to get rid of the nausea those cursed pills gave him, but the feeling of something squirming in his stomach just wouldn't ease. Eventually, he decided to that some fresh air would probably do no harm.

It didn't really surprise him that he ended up to Aimi's dorm-door. For as long as they'd known each other, they'd been able to count on each other. Even now, when everything was more or less smashed to pieces, they sought strength and comfort from each other. And now that she was… fading, the least he could do was make sure she knew he cared.

" It's open", came a weary, painfully small voice as he knocked.

Just like every single time when visiting her during the past months, he had to brace himself and pull on a mask of calmness as he entered. Still, an arrow pierced his heart when he saw her.

Ghost, was the only word he could find to describe her.

But if there was something that hadn't vanished, it was the spark in her eyes that lit as she saw him. Talking was obviously hard and took effort, but she tried nonetheless " Hi. I was expecting you."

He snorted. " Why am I not surprised?" The amusement, however, shifted into slight annoyance when he found someone missing. " Where's Zeo?"

Seeing the flash of pain in Aimi's eyes, he wished he could've taken the question back. " Schoolwork. He'll try and stop by tomorrow." Which they both know he wouldn't do; ever since she'd been discharged from hospital, Zeo hadn't visited once. And both Aimi and Kai started to doubt if it was really because of schoolwork.

But Kai wasn't going to crush the girl's heart with that fact. " I'm sure he'll come", he tried to reassure his friend, plopping to the couch beside her.

Knowing his intentions, she smiled. " Thanks." For a long moment, it was quiet as both drifted into their thoughts. Then, slowly and a bit solemnly, Aimi spoke. " Kai… You know that I'm not afraid of the… end, right?"

Bangs fell to shield the boy's face as he nodded. " Yeah… So you said."

She, too, nodded, growing even more solemn. " But… I'm worried about all you I'm leaving behind. I… I'm the only family Akira has, and Zeo…" She had to bite her lip for a while. " But… I'm worried about you, too."

Kai blinked and looked at her in near shock. " Why?"

A small smile came to her face. " Ever since I met you, there's been this… weight on your shoulders. I know how tough and harsh people think you are, but..." The smile faded, her eyes turned into steel. " I'll be watching over you, Hiwatari. And… I don't want you to be torn and broken forever. Plus… Whether it's as friends or whatever the heck, I want you and Tyson to pull it together. I can't bare seeing you two lost like this any longer. You are too strong for that."

As she watched, Kai first seemed to hold his breath, fists clenching. Then, he made a sharp intake of breath, the hair still shielding his face. " I… I'll try, Mi. I'll try my best. But… I don't think I know the way."  
Again, she smiled. " You'll find it." Feeling the exhaustion crushing her down, she leaned her head against his shoulder. " I'll help you."

Not saying a word, he took her small, skinny hand into his own bigger, trembling one, giving it a scarcely evident squeeze. Roughly biting her lip, she returned the gesture.

And she could've sworn she heard a breathed 'thank you'.

**¨**

Some time later, after Aimi had fallen asleep, Kai ventured through the hallways, eyes so clouded he hardly knew where he was going. He barely knew he'd excited the building.

If something was even harder than seeing her, it was leaving her. Because he could never know if she'd be there when he came back.

Suddenly, a sensation – almost like a hunch – made him stop dead on his tracks. Frowning, he turned his gaze – and the frown deepened when he saw the familiar, green-hared teen slumped underneath a ancient tree. " Zeo?" _What the…?_ Shouldn't the boy have been studying?

The boy's head was buried into his knees that were brought against his chest. The teen's shoulders were slumped, making him seem small, almost childlike. As soon as Zeo caught his voice, the boy's head snapped up, and green eyes widened considerably when finding him. But the look of shock was soon replaced by one of immense shame, and the boy looked away. The whisper in the air was so quiet Kai barely heard it. " I… I tried, Kai. I really did… But… I just can't, now when…" The boy shook his head forcefully. " I… I can't watch her leaving me."

Kai opened his mouth, first intending to spit out harsh words of venom. But then, he found he couldn't. Instead he whispered the last words he'd been expecting. " I understand." When Zeo looked at him in total stun, his eyes hardened. " But if you've ever cared about her, I suggest you to hold on now. Because you'll get a second chance."

* * *

The stink in the small, uncomfortably hot room was almost unbearable as Tyson sat on a squeaky chair, trembling all over as he watched the needle approaching his arm.

Seeing the look of sheer terror upon his face, Dr. Niamana gave a small smile. " There's no reason to panic. I promise you, you'll feel nothing more than a slight sting."

Still shuttering, Tyson gave her a suspicious look. " How can you be so damn sure?"

" Because about bazillion patients – some of them children, by the way – have actually survived through this before you. Now stop that squirming, or I'll really end up hurting you." It wasn't until then he noticed that the needle had already pierced through, and his blood zoomed rapidly into the test-tube. It only took a brief moment before she was done. " See? Over and done."

Slowly, a weak, shuttering sigh of ridiculous relief escaped Tyson. " Thanks…", he muttered, and was pleased to find that he could actually stand on his own.

" I should have the results in five to seven days." Again, she smiled. " Try not to stress about this too much, 'k? I'm sure this is nothing but a stomach flue or something as harmless."

He, too, gave a smile, though it was a feeble one. " Yeah, I know." So saying, he headed towards the door. " Bye."

Once out, he gave yet another, much deeper sigh, leaning towards the wall with closed eyes.

Coming here for that stupid test had required much more courage than he'd anticipated. And now… All he could do was wonder his head off, waiting for what the results would reveal…

* * *

It had been dark for a good while by the time Zeo opened the small door that was never locked nowadays, expecting to be greeted by a stomach-churning smell of sickness. He was surprised to feel a soft odor of roses caressing his face instead.

For a long moment, he stood by the doorway, frozen. It took a mighty gulp before he could utter a faintest whisper. " Aimi?"

Silence was the only reply he received, and slowly, hesitantly, he entered and closed the door, feeling something close to panic squeezing his heart.

Gosh, he'd have to do this… He had to…

Before he properly realized what he was doing, his steps were carrying him towards the room from where the scent of flowers came. What he found was what he'd feared for all this time.

There – laying in a bed next to a bedside table that had beautiful roses in a vase on it – laid Aimi, face pale and so thin that it pained him. And even though she was fast asleep, her face still held a look of deep agony. Her small hand was squeezing her blanket with all the force it still had, almost desperately.

He could nearly feel her fading, and it took a long, choked breath not to cry.

But this time around, his legs refused to let him run away. Instead they carried him closer, and almost as though in daze he laid down next to her – carefully, not wanting to harm her. When his arms gently wend around her tiny form, she snuggled closer to him, giving a sigh of pleasure.

A soul tear of remorse sneaked to his pale cheek. " I'm sorry…", he whispered, before a world of dreams wrapped him into its comforting blanket.

And when Aimi woke up the next morning, she found him there.

* * *

Pretty much around the same time, Tyson (awakened from a deep slumber by a stab of stomachache) sauntered to kitchen – and almost jumped with frighten when finding Kai there, slowly gulping down something that smelled like herbal tea. " K – Kai?" His features immediately formed a deep frown. " What are you still doing up?"

The dual-hared teen didn't look at him, instead kept staring out the window. " I… had nightmares", came a quiet, almost rough voice.

He felt his chest heaving. " Of Wyatt again?"

But to his surprise, the Russian shook his head. " No. Not this time." The boy's voice clearly stated that he wouldn't say another word.

Urge to poke for some more answers almost unbearable, Tyson nodded, then noticed that there was some herbal tea left and wordlessly made himself a cup. Still not talking, he took a seat nearby Kai, taking a sip of his drink though he wasn't sure if he wanted it at all.

Eventually, he decided that the smothering silence would have to be broken. Taking some breaths first, he finally managed to speak out. " Look… I know we've been… avoiding talking about _it_, and…" He sighed, running one hand through his hair. " I'm sorry. I… I shouldn't have forced you through it, not so fast."

Still not looking at him, Kai shook his head. " You never forced me into anything, Tyson. I just…" He shook his head again. " I was an idiot." Finally, the boy looked at him. " And I'm sorry, too."

First time in a long while, Tyson found himself giving a genuine, grateful smile of relief. " I know."

As a comfortable, companionable silence fell on them, Tyson could finally feel a tiny ray of hope rising.

Perhaps one day, things would turn better between them. Maybe he wouldn't lose Kai after all.

* * *

**Two weeks later.**

* * *

It took just about all Akira had not to shiver with anxiety when he stood just few steps from a door, holding a small piece of paper in her trembling hand.

" Are you ready?" came a soft voice of Kenny, who was standing right behind her.

Slowly, almost uncertainly, she gave a nod. " Yeah. I am." _If I won't do this now, I'll never get it done._

With that thought, she took a deep breath and headed forward – so blinded by determination that she didn't see the toys laying all over the small yard.

Her hand was trembling even more as she lifted it, and softly pressed the doorbell. Perhaps he wouldn't hear her… Maybe he wasn't even home…

No such luck. " 'Coming!" came a small, perky child's voice.

Her eyes immediately widened, adapting a look of utter shock. _A kid…?_

The shock turned into something much, much deeper when the door was opened – and he met the gaze of about five-years-old, chocolate-hared boy's dark eyes. " … no…"

The child frowned. " Who are you?"

Gasping for air, she stumbled back a step, almost falling down. " … I…"

Her father… He… he had a… child? A… family?

No… No, no, no… This had to be a nightmare, a sick joke… He couldn't have done this to them…

" Aki, who is it?" Akira's heart almost stopped beating when the man came to sight, giving a slight Frown when seeing her. Gosh, he… he seemed so old, so… strained… " Who would you be?"

Gulping down bitter tears, she took another step back, legs weak. _He… He doesn't even recognize me anymore… _" I… This… This was a mistake…" She gulped again, almost tasting blood. " I… I'm sorry…"

**¨**

Baffled, Aden Naikoma watched as the girl spun around and sprinted away, followed by a brown-haired boy who'd been waiting for her.

_So familiar…_

He didn't hear his son's question. " Daddy, who was she?"

Just then, he noticed a small piece of paper laying on the doorstep – probably dropped by the mysterious girl. Frowning yet again, he picked it up and read the few words.

Apparently, there was an address and a phone number. But what truly caught his attention was the name.

_Akira_

His eyes immediately grew wide, and he had to press a hand against his chest as it became almost impossible to breath. " Oh my God…"

* * *

Max had always known that he wasn't the most sane person in the world. Perhaps he'd fallen to his head as a child or something.

But never had he felt as ludicrous as he did when sitting in bus that smelled more horrific than a pigsty, sitting beside a impossibly old woman, who was drooling and snoring like a truck-driver.

At the moment, only the hopelessly faint image of Emily's face kept him from jumping out the bus' window.

He had to bite his tongue to suppress a yell of utter joy when the bumpy road finally ended, and the old car-wreck gave a cough before making its stop to before a small motel.

Max's eyes flashed. Almost three weeks of following disappearing tracks was finally paying off. This dump was where his clues told Emily had last been seen.

As he entered the building, he momentarily feared the doors might fall off as it slammed back closed. It was pure luck it didn't.

" What do you want?" a rough male-voice suddenly demanded in Spanish.

Rapidly turning his gaze, he found a man with a lot of overweight, small pale-brown eyes and greasy dark hair leaning against the counter. The man's nauseating aroma radiated all the way to the door.

Gulping thickly, Max approached hesitantly, pulling out a picture of Emily he'd been carrying around. " Is… Is she here?" His Spanish was horrible, but hopefully understandable.

The man's lazy eyes first glanced at the picture, then back at him. " What's it to you?"

Starting to get more than a bit annoyed, Max felt his temper start to boil. Without noticing it, he snarled in English. " Now let me tell you what it's to me, idiot." His eyes were narrowed. " I've been driving around this freakin' desert for almost three weeks, and so far all I've found is rat-holes like this, diarrhea and a never-ending headache. So why am I torturing myself like this? Because right now, she's the pretty much only good thing in my life! And I'm not gonna lose her, even if it kills me!"

For a moment, the man looked at him, perhaps even slightly surprised. He then shrugged, retreating back into indifference. " Well, tough luck, squirt. She left yesterday", he responded in English.

Max felt like someone had punched him. Just his luck…

" Well…", the man went on. " As there won't be another buss for two days, would you like to get a room?"

Max felt shivers of disgust run down his spine as he caught a sideways-glance at a giant-sized cockroach contently making its way up a nearby wall. " Do I have a choice?"

* * *

Ray snapped awake from his light sleep as the door of he and Kiara's apartment opened and closed soundlessly. Silent shuffle of feet was heard while he got up, finding Oliver tossing towards the room he was sleeping in. " Where the heck were you?" Taking a look at the clock placed onto the table, he gave a loud growl. " It's two am! Do you have any idea of how…?!"

" Ray, don't." The French's voice sounded almost begging. " I'm okay. We both are."

His cat's eyes squinted with suspicion. " That still doesn't cover where you were."

Hearing those words, Oliver seemed almost trapped. " Ray…."

" Please." There was a mixture of frustration, desperation and anger in his voice. " I… I have a right to know. Please."

Oliver took a deep, exasperated sigh, not looking at him. " I… I was with Enrique."

Once again, the neko-jin's eyebrows furrowed. " This late?" It wasn't until he clicked. It felt like a bucket of ice-water had been poured over him, his heart was squeezed into a tiny ball. " Oh…" No matter how hard he tried to restrain it, bitter jealousy seeped into his tone. " For how long have you two been sneaking out?"

The green-hared teen gave a growl. " I'm not dealing with a five-year-old." So saying, he was about to walk off.

But Ray wasn't quite through with his inquisition just yet. " And what about the baby? In case…"

" Ray." Oliver's voice was dangerous, sharper than a razor. " I just fell asleep there, 'k? Not that it's any of your business, anyway." The boy's eyes were just as sharp as the tone when he looked at him. " Please, Ray. Get off my back. Stop making this even harder than it is."

This time, Ray was too frozen by shock and ache caused by the words to protest when the boy walked away.

* * *

There was a quiet, cautious knock on Tala's dorm-door, waking the redhead from his deep thoughts. Carefully making sure that Hilary (whom he'd spent a night with, as her room-mate was away) was asleep, he sneaked out of the bed and tossed over to open up the door.

Behind it, he found a very confused looking Bryan. " What's going on? You said it was something important."

He swallowed thickly and let his friend in, giving a small nod. " Yeah." He had to think for a while before carrying on. " I… I've been thinking about that suggestion of yours… You know, taking Kai to Russia."

Bryan nodded eagerly, almost impatiently. " And…?"

Ice-blue eyes filled with such a variety of emotions that they can't all be named, Tala gave his friend a look. " I don't think it's a bad idea, Bryan. And honestly… I don't think we have a choice."

**¨**

What the two boys didn't know, was that they weren't completely alone. For Hilary hadn't been asleep.

Her eyes grew wide, then squinted as Tala's words struck her.

She… she wouldn't just let him take Kai away, rip the boy from everything he'd considered home! Tala couldn't do that!

But… She'd seen Kai since Wyatt's death, and… No matter how little she liked the idea, she knew that something would have to change. Fast.

_Damnit…_

What the hell was she going to do?

* * *

The two passed weeks had been almost intolerable for poor Tyson, and little by little he was losing the last remaining bits of his sanity.

First – a week back, if he had any track on days whatsoever – Dr. Niamana had phoned over (sounding urgent), and announced that some more tests were required. By now, he'd been poked up for more times than a lab-rat, each time causing more pain than the last. And still, all he could do was sit around and wait, the mornings of sickness never ending.

But when the first ray's of afternoon sun pierced the all too familiar, small room, Tyson was once again sitting on a uncomfortable chair, more anxious than ever. Finally, there'd be some answers – whatever they were.

But when he saw the look in the doctor's eyes, he almost wished he'd never been tested in the first place. There was a loud gulp before she begun. " Tyson… What I'm about to tell you… I'm sure it'll shock you, badly."

He felt his head spinning. Chest grew impossibly heavy. " W – what are you talking about?"

She gulped again, glancing at her papers with disbelief-filled eyes. " Do you… Have you ever been… in an operation or other medical procedure outside the hospital?"

He gave a deep frown, feeling his body start to tremble. " I… I can't remember…" The frown grew even deeper. " What the hell's going on? What's wrong with me?"

Her gaze was evaluating as she looked at him, obviously wondering he was ready for the news. " I… We rechecked the results for so many times, but… They… They're realiable." Once more, she swallowed thickly. " Tyson, you… you're pregnant."

It felt like a carpet had been pulled off from underneath his feet. He gasped desperately, feeling as though he'd been drowning. His vision started to spin, it seemed like everything had been moving a bit too fast. " Oh… my… God…"

The doctor's words were nothing but a blur to him. " The pregnancy is almost at the end of the first third, so we must discuss about your options as soon as possible. You…"

Completely ignoring her, he jumped up though it made him feel even more dizzy. " I… I have to get out of here…"

He was deaf to her loud shouts of protest, oblivious to the fact that he barely stayed up, when he ran helplessly, praying that there was a way – any way – to escape those horrifying news.

Eventually, his knees gave way, unable to take him any further. Giving a yelp of pain, he slumped to the floor, still gasping for air, and squeezed his stinging eyes tightly shut.

This just… This couldn't be reality… This couldn't be happening…

What the hell was he going to do?

" You know, I actually thought finding you would be at least a bit more challenging. I'm disappointed."

His eyes immediately snapped open to the terrifyingly familiar voice, and squinted as they met the flaming orbs he knew all too well. A growl of a tiger escaped through tightly gritted teeth, his arm instinctively moved to shield his stomach. " Seiji…"

The taller teen gave a grin that revealed his sharp, flawless teeth. " I told you I'd come, didn't I?"

Tyson was an inch from punching the other with all his might. " Get the hell out of here…", he hissed, eyes still narrowed. " … or I'll show you exactly how I feel about seeing you again."

Seiji arched an amused eyebrow. " Is that a threat? How adorable." The boy's face then hardened, turned almost hazardous. The teen walked so close than when he talked, Tyson could feel his warm breath. " I would stay in line if I were you, brat. You wouldn't want that playmate of yours to pay for your arrogance, would you?"

Such rage he'd never felt before bubbled in Tyson's veins. He shivered. " If you cut a hair from Kai's head…"

Seiji's eyes flashed. " What did I just tell you?" The boy was obviously an inch from hitting him, hard. " But, to some more significant things… I have something… rather interesting to tell you; something that's been kept from you. But first, you'll have to come with me."

Tyson snorted. " No chance in hell, freak."

" Very well then." Seiji pulled out his cell-phone, giving him a look. " In three seconds, I'll start dialing numbers. That… Kai's life depends on a single phone-call."

Once again, Tyson heard himself growling. His fists formed balls so tightly that it hurt. " You…" It wasn't until then he realized that he had no other choice; he couldn't let Seiji do this to Kai. One more growl erupted as the fists opened, trembling. Gosh, it was so close he just didn't kill the bastard there and then… Their eyes bored into each other, one pair filled with lust, the other with rage so intense there's no word for it. " I hate you so much, you piece of shit."

* * *

Silence in the small apartment was so thick that it almost suffocated the two teens inside.

Kai had never felt as dull and hollow as he did when watching Tyson pack up the last of his belongings, back towards him. This small, tiny piece of him wouldn't have wanted to believe what was happening.

He didn't know it was his voice forming words. " He beat you up, Tyson. He… He almost killed you, abused you…" He shook his head, a fruitless attempt to concentrate. " I… I don't understand…"

Tyson, who was furiously trying to block out Kai's confused, heartbreaking words, was ridiculously relieved upon discovering that all the few belongings he'd brought in were finally safely packed up.

This torment would soon be over. It didn't matter a slightest bit that he was on his way towards something far, far worse, that he'd end up alone with the unborn child; at least Kai would be safe and sound.

He was almost choking to his tears as he spun forward, darting towards the door, towards safety. But escaping wasn't that easy. His whole body jolted as Kai's hand snatched his wrist, holding firmly, determinedly.

For a moment, it was dead-silent, until there was a faint, almost whispered question. " Ty… Why?"

Tyson swallowed thickly. _Damnit, Kai… Why are you making this so freakin' hard?_ " Let go", he ordered in a voice that wasn't his.

" Not until you give me a goddamn why!" the dual-hared teen bellowed, then took a deep, steadying sigh. " Just… Please… Tell me why…"

By then, Tyson was shivering like a leaf about to fall. " Because…" Luckily, Kai didn't get to see his tears. As he spoke, his voice was steely and cold. " … it was all just a stupid lie, Kai. Nothing more."

For a moment, he could feel Kai's hand squeeze his wrist even more tightly, almost desperately. Then, the grasp broke as suddenly as it'd been formed. As soon as he was set free, Tyson darted out of the door, not once glancing over his shoulder. Not that looking back would've made any difference; his tears hindered him from seeing anything.

_God, Kai… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…_

With those thoughts, he walked out and hopped into the car where Seiji was waiting.

He didn't utter a word during the ride home, nor did he took a glance at his companion.

**¨**

Back inside, Kai stared at the closed door with widened eyes, completely paralyzed. By then, his head was spinning so badly that he didn't even register how badly he was trembling all over.

" It was all just a stupid lie, Kai. Nothing more."

He barely saw a thing as the door was once again opened. Bryan was nothing but blur in his vision when the boy entered. " Kai?" Though the voice sounded jumbled, he could still hear the worry in it. " What's wrong?"

He couldn't talk, didn't even want to. Something as simple as breathing hurt so much at the moment; even a single word would tear him apart.

Bryan seemed to step closer. " Kai?"

He just wanted to get away…

And with that thought, Kai fell forward, and everything turned black.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Oh shit… Seiji's 'the bastardo' is back… What exactly are those 'things' he wants to tell Tyson? And what'll he do when he finds out about the baby (in case Tyson chooses to keep it)? Will Kai believe Tyson's lies and back down? (Why am I bombarding you guys with questions?)

I believe that would be all for now, fellows. 'Wish I'll see you all next time! And please, please hit that adorable review button! You know how much I love to know there's somebody out there! (gives HUGE puppy-dog eyes)

'Till next time! Adios!


	10. Late

A/N: Yes, yes, yes, chapter nine is READY! And in less than a week! (squeals with joy)

I know, I know, I should just get on with the story, but first things first… You guys, thank you so, **SO** much for your amazing reviews! (HUUUUUGS) I'm just ridiculously happy to know you're still out there! (My mom thinks I'm going crazy when I giggle with delight when sitting in front of a computer…)

(Oh, I'm just killing you guys with those cliffies, aren't I? (sigh) I'm sorry, but I'm just obsessed with them. Try to bear with me, 'k? I'm bound to get bored with them sooner or later.)

Okay, folks, on with the show! In this chapter, feelings are brought out open. (geez, well that's new…) Oh, and someone makes a comeback… (dun-dun-dun…) Hope this'll be worthy of your time! What can I say? I tried my best.

* * *

**Chapter nine: Late**

The figure rushing towards a familiar house was drenched wet as a cruel torrent of rain washed over, leaving no spot dry. A content sigh escaped when the destination was reached.

_'Bout time._

There seemed to be about million steps before the door was finally ahead. Hesitantly, a hand was reached out for a gentle knock.

" Come in", came a rather quiet voice from the inside.

The door gave a silent, soft squeak of protest when it was slowly pushed open. Steps echoed as the drenched visitor entered. " Bry?"

Something close to shock was the arrival's first emotion as the lavender-haired teen came out of a room, into eyeshot. Gosh, the boy had never seemed so tired… Those huge bags underneath his eyes, skin almost gray… " Hey, Hils. What are you doing here?"

Taking off her jacket that was dripping with water, she ran another hand through equally wet brown locks. " How's Kai?" It'd been eleven days from Tyson moving out. There had to be progress by now, right?

Another shock came when she witnessed the look in Bryan's eyes. _Defeat?_ " I… I took him to the doctor's again today. He's lost weight, and they… they said there'll be… tests." There was a difficult, laborious gulp. " They… gave him pills. He's sleeping now."

Gulping and momentarily at a loss of words, she gave a faint nod. The hatred that rose in her chest was so intense that it scared her. _Damn you, Tyson._ Deciding to force herself to think about something, anything, else before she'd hurt herself or someone else, she pushed words out. " Look, I… There's something… I've been meaning to talk to you about."

The boy blinked, seeming dumfounded. " Oh?"

" I heard you and Tala talking about taking Kai to Russia", she stated, not even intending to block out the emotions from sadness and confusion to near rage.

Again, Bryan gulped, eyes widening rapidly. " I… I think you should talk to Tala."

" If I'd talk to Tala, I'd end up injuring him. Badly." Her ruby-eyes lit into a flame. " Bryan, what the hell are you two doing? Kai's just hanging in there as it is, for crying out loud! If you'll drag him all the way to Russia…" She had to take deep breaths and count to ten, but she was still shivering as she went on. " Are you trying to kill him?"

Bryan's eyes flickered. " We're trying to keep him from killing himself!" the boy snarled as loudly as he could without waking Kai up. " Especially after that little stunt of Tyson's…" He shook his head, blinking. " I… I won't bury another friend, Hilary. I… I can't."

Hilary felt herself tearing into two as she watched her friend's evident pain. _What… what if he's right?_ " I… I've gotta go." With that, she whirled around and walked out.

**¨**

Watching Hilary go, Bryan felt a bang in his chest.

Gosh, it would be so hard for her to understand, as for the others… But she'd have to. Otherwise…

Shaking the thought away, he walked up to door, behind which Kai was laying in a drug-indulged sleep in the safety of his bed. Despite the fact that the boy was asleep, his face was still contorted with pain. Quiet, meow-like whimper could be heard as Kai suddenly reached out a hand, desperately trying to grasp onto something only his closed eyes could see.

Bryan's eyes first darkened with pain and grief. But fury quickly wiped the ache away.

He'd once trusted Tyson not to harm Kai. And this was the result.

There was no telling what he'd do to the bluenette if their paths were to ever cross.

* * *

Neither Kenny or Akira noticed the lateness of the hour as they decorated the huge ball-room that in ten days would transform into a place where they'd hold Aimi's birthday-party. 

Unable to restrain it for another second, Akira – standing on ladder while putting some decorations to roof – gave a huge yawn. " Damn…"

Kenny – who was decorating the walls nearby – gave a smile of sympathy, not seeming a slightest bit more awake. " I suppose it's getting kinda late, huh?"

The girl glared. " I don't think this is the right moment for bad jokes."

Finally satisfied with her work, she started climbing down the ladder – only to notice that the late hour didn't make her balance an ounce better than it was. She didn't manage to scream or even yelp as she fell, just blinked owlishly, not quite understanding why there was no support underneath her feet.

She fully expected the stone-hard floor to meet her – but gave a huge gasp when landing into something soft instead. Blinking yet again, she turned her gaze to find herself laying on top of very, very blushed Kenny. The boy – apparently not prepared for her crashing down on him – had stumbled to the floor and was now laying down, with her sitting rather ungracefully on top of him.

_Now this is awkward._

But for some incomprehensible reason, her muscles refused to move.

The sensation was almost electric. Unable to control themselves, they leaned forward – until they were so close to each other that both hearts were pounding madly.

" Kenny?" she breathed in a shivering tone, first time calling him something else than Chief.

She was all too familiar with the fact that his lips were a mere inch from hers, parted just slightly…

_Move. Get up. Now._

She didn't budge.

_Shit._

Something completely unfamiliar flashed in Kenny's eyes, and he looked away for a moment. Then his eyes found hers again, and a loud, difficult gulp was head. " Aki… Would you…?"

She blinked, then figured that her weight was probably smashing his legs already. " Oh… Sorry…" In a much more clumsy movement than she would've preferred, she moved away, watching as Kenny slowly pushed himself up. " Anything broken?"

The boy gave a small, almost pant-like chuckle. " No, I don't think so."

She swallowed thickly, for some reason feeling out of breath. " Good, then." She gulped again. " I… I'm gonna get us some coffee, before we'll fall asleep standing up."

Kenny nodded, the look in his eyes showing that he wasn't quite there. " 'K."

Without so much of a word or another glance at him, she fled the scene.

And she didn't come back.

* * *

After the unbearable heat of Mexico, London was blissfully cool as Max sauntered forward on the streets, almost tackled down by the people passing by. But the others meant nothing to him, when he was an inch from finally seeing Emily again.

Suddenly, he froze dead on his tracks, causing about five people to bump into him. His blue eyes grew slightly wider as he stared at the huge building before him, swallowing heavily.

_Beyblade training center_, said the massive text right above the entrance. A smaller add a bit below it continued. _Special trainers for today – the former All Starz -team!_

He gulped again, to no avail trying to brace himself. " You can do this." _Yeah, right…_

Sucking in a breath so deep it made him feel dizzy, he determinedly walked forward, approaching the entrance. Moving in sync with the mod, he was almost in, when a hand suddenly graphed his arm, so tightly it hurt.

Eyes flashing, he turned his gaze – and blinked when finding a familiar person. " Michael?"

" So you didn't believe it when she told you to back off, huh?" The boy's eyes squinted. " You should've stayed away."

Disbelief washed over Max as he stared at the other's face. Gradually believing that Michael actually wasn't joking, he felt all other emotions transforming into rage. " What the hell do you think you're doing?" Even he was surprised by the fact that Max Tate could use language like that. " This… Me and Emily… It's none of your business!"

Michael's eyes flashed. The boy's hold on his arm tightened. " You just made it my business." The boy stepped so close their faces were inches apart, then hissed. " Mark my words, Tate. She – doesn't – want – you – anywhere – near – her. Got that? She doesn't want _anything_ to do with you! So get the hell out of here before I'll call the security!"

To be noted, Max is a very calm and peaceful person. But those words pushed him so badly off the edge that he had no idea of what he was doing as his fist rose on it's own accord, smashing against Michael's face so heavily that the taller boy stumbled backwards.

He was screaming something – he knew he was – and tried to jump forward again, when a steely pair of arms suddenly locked him to spot, and he was being pulled away by a security guard. He registered only one of his words as he was dragged further and further away from the door before which Michael stood, eyes flaming and holding his cheek. " … Emily! …"

**¨**

Back inside, Emily suddenly dropped the blade she'd been inspecting, falling completely pale and giving a tiny gasp.

Steve, who was standing right beside her, frowned and gave her a worried look. " You okay?"

She nodded dazedly. " Y – yeah… I just…" Slowly, she turned her gaze, and it met a familiar person. She quickly gave a small grin. " Hi Michael. What took you so long?" She, too, then frowned when seeing his cheek that was growing red. " What's that?"

The boy smiled warmly, wrapping an arm around her. " It's nothing." He pulled her just slightly closer. " What did I miss?"

* * *

Later at that same day in Japan, Oliver – suffering from such stomach-cramps they were almost driving him insane – had decided that only a walk could make him feel even an ounce better. 

He had no idea of for how long he'd been walking around, when he suddenly spotted a slumped figure sitting on a bench not too far away. A frown came to his face. " Tyson?"

For a longest moment, he wasn't sure of what to do. What Tyson had done to Kai was horrible and inexcusable. But… Sitting there, alone in the dark, the boy seemed so small and lost. His whole frame was quaking, and Oliver found himself frowning again.

_Is he… crying?_

Hearing the call he'd given, Tyson tensed completely. Slowly, as though afraid, the boy turned to meet his gaze. The tears in those midnight orbs took Oliver by surprise. " O – Oliver?" The boy gulped. " I…" The words died out.

His usually warm eyes squinted and hardened. " Why the heck did you do it?" he bit out, even more harshly than he'd intended.

Once again, the other stiffened and gave a gulp even he could hear, expression hardening. But the steely façade rapidly crumbled, and – giving a loud, heartbreaking howl – the bluenette crumbled right before his eyes, burying his face into his hands and trembling violently.

Despite the fact that he was still furious at the other, Oliver felt some of the anger turning into worry. " Hey, what's going on?"

" I… I just don't know to do." There was a choked sniff. " The baby, Kai, Seiji…"

Words – much more than those – came so rapidly and incoherently that Oliver had no chance of understanding them all. But thoughts quickly linked, and his eyes widened rapidly. _Baby?_ " Tyson…", he gasped. " Are you…?"

Realizing what he'd just blurted out, Tyson's eyes widened as well. They were filled with desperation as the boy glanced at him. " You… you can't tell the others, especially Kai."

He blinked, not quite understanding. " But… He deserves to know! I mean, if he's…"

Shaking his head violently, Tyson gave one more sniff. " Please, you… you don't understand… He… he can't find out, not ever."

By then, Oliver was utterly confused. He repeated his earlier question. " Tyson, what's going on?"

The boy quickly shook his head, bouncing up with such speed that it must've made him feel woozy. " I… I'm sorry, about everything." The boy started to rush away, steps swaying. " Don't… don't tell anyone about this, 'k?"

Before Oliver could say a word to stop him, the boy was gone, disappearing into the darkness.

Suddenly, determination filled Oliver's puzzled eyes. Despite all the crap, Tyson was a friend. And if there was something wrong, he wanted to know.

He took a couple of steps to follow the bluenette, but that appeared to be all he could do. A gasp of pain and surprise escaped when there was a cruel, huge stab of pain in his stomach. His hand reflexively flew to his stomach, trying to shield it from invisible threat.

Another stab came, and he squeezed his eyes tightly shut, giving a mixture of hiss and meow. " Shit…"

But then, just as suddenly as it'd came, the horrifying pain subsided, and he took several gasps, shivering all over with his hand still clenching to his belly.

_What the heck was that?_

There was no reply, and – still shivering – he walked back to Ray and Akira's place, all the while praying that everything was alright. That the precious miracle wouldn't be lost.

* * *

**Ten days later.**

* * *

In England, Max once again braced himself while standing before a huge building in Liverpool, fists squeezed into tight balls. 

" _She doesn't want _anything_ to do with you!"_

His blue eyes squinted, and it was almost impossible to hold back a growl.

No chance in hell he'd let Michael's words take him down. Emily would never betray him like that. And he was determined to show her that he was worthy of such loyalty.

The people gave him looks of slight surprise and wonder, some whispered when recognizing him. But he blatantly ignored them while pushing the huge doors leading to a Beyblade-festival open, entering with a look of sheer determination. Never before had he been so absolutely sure about something being right, not even blading.

**¨**

What Max had no idea of, was that not too far away, Michael – having been waiting for weeks, for all his life, who knew – finally prepared to make his move. Heart thumping somewhere near his throat, he approached the girl who was just taking a break from teaching the kids. " Em… There's something… I have to tell you."

His voice sounded so unfamiliar that Mariah frowned as she looked at him. " 'You okay?"

_No. Most definitely NOT okay._ " Yeah. It's…" He could almost feel the hot, deep red sneaking to his cheeks. " I… I need to give you something."

Her frown deepened, eyes filled with puzzlement. " Michael, what are you…?"

Until the end of her days, Emily York couldn't remember what she'd been meaning to say. Because the only thing that fit into her mind was that Michael's lips captured hers with such hunger and all consuming passion that it wiped everything else away.

**¨**

The repulsion Max felt as his body froze couldn't be compared to anything. The image was tattooed into his brain with such force that it was almost enough to sweep him off his feet.

Emily's eyes falling closed. Her hand pressing against Michael's chest, precisely where the heart was probably racing. Their lips meeting.

Gosh, how much he would've liked to feel hatred – or anger, at very least. But the emotion that went through him was anything else.

The breaths he sucked in almost choked him, though they were futile.

_Late. Hopelessly late._

**¨**

It took a while before Emily managed to overcome her daze. Giving a loud, almost terrified gasp, she instinctively turned her head – and gasped again when meeting a familiar pair of blue, disappointed eyes. " … no …"

But before her faint whisper could ever touch the boy, he spun around and ran.

Terror and helplessness pumping through, she jumped up, attempting to follow – but was restrained by a hand. Michael's eyes were filled with question and pleading. " Stay."

At that moment, her eyes widened as she understood. All those touched, gazes… She knew exactly what he was asking for. " Michael…" She gulped, suddenly feeling so lousy and sick that she had to blink. " I… I'm sorry. I can't."

Not bearing to see the look of defeat and anguish upon his face, she stormed off as soon as he released her, darting towards the direction she'd seen Max go. The people didn't even register to her as she ran like there'd been a fire on her tails, a taste of iron in her mouth.

Panting hopelessly, she barged through the door – just in time to see Max approaching an awaiting taxi. " Wait!"

But she was way too far for him to hear. Rushing forward blindly, she sprinted to the stairs leading to him – and soon discovered that she should've paid more attention to what she was doing. A cry escaped her as her balance broke, and she felt her ankle twisting into a painful, abnormal position. Terror going through her, she frantically lifted her gaze, only to see Max sitting into a car.

Gasping, she tried to get back up, but the pain was so intense that she gracelessly slumped back into sitting position, cursing loudly in every single language she knew. Everyone nearby gave her odd looks as she suddenly screamed out in English, tears of frustration threatening to break. " GODDAMMIT!"

But despite her fury, all she could do was watch helplessly as the car disappeared like dust into wind.

And she almost laughed at the bitter irony.

Because that moment, she knew exactly what she'd been looking for all along. And that thing had just disappeared.

* * *

There was a buzz of something between excitement and sadness as a group gathered into a huge building waited for the front-door to open up. In less than five minutes, Zeo would bring in Aimi, who didn't have a slightest clue of their little surprise. 

The mood couldn't quite reach Tala and Hilary, who were standing in one corner of the building, evidently avoiding looking at each other. Both could clearly feel that there was something… odd going on between them. But neither was willing to give up on stubbornness and crack to ask what was wrong first.

Tala took them both by surprise with being the one to shatter first. " I'm not an idiot, you know?" There was a hint of hurt and confusion in his tone. " I know you've been avoiding me for ages, and…" His icy eyes – for once a devoid of all their pride and hardness – seemed almost lost, adorable, as they gazed at her. " What the hell's going on?"

The change he saw in Hilary's face almost scared him. As the girl looked at him, she seemed like a wild-beast about to attack. " I've been very, very patient with you", she snarled. " I've endured your worst moments, defended you… Hell, I've _believed_ in you, Valkov, no matter how ridiculous stunts you've come up with!" At that point, she was so furious that her jaw tightened so much it hurt, teeth grit together with a screech. " How the hell can you do this to Kai?! How dare you twist and turn all he hold dear _NOW_?!"

For a long, stilled moment he just stared at her, an endless flow of emotions flashing by his face. Eventually, the stream froze to just one; utter, sheer anxiety. " Hilary, I… I can't just sit back and watch him fade! I won't!"

Her fury was still far from ceased. " But why the heck do you have to drag him to _Russia_? Back to the Abbey, memories of Voltaire and Boris…"

The flash in Tala's eyes told the last words had slashed deep. " Russia may not hold the best of past, but… that's where he belongs." He gulped. " And at least… at least there, I can make sure he's safe."

" Safe from what?" Her eyebrow rose with yet another bout of anger. " Are you saying that we don't know how to take care of him?"

Once more, there was desperation upon Tala's pale face. " Take a look at his arms, Hilary. Then… you'll know what Japan does to him."

This time, the frown upon her face was one of worry, almost panic. Of course she knew what Kai'd been doing to himself, but… That was over now, with him seeing a psychiatrist and taking his pills. Wasn't it? " What are you talking about?"

**¨**

Standing a bit aside from the others, Kai tried to make himself as unnoticeable as possible. After everything that'd happened, showing up at this party was the pretty much last thing he felt like doing – especially when he was a target of worried, suspicious attention. But he'd pull through, for Aimi's sake.

" You alright?"

Tilting his head just a slight bit upwards, he smiled faintly when finding Oliver's worried face. " I'll live." He then lowered his gaze to the French's clearly visible bump. " You?"

The boy gave a crooked grin, gently placing his hand to the belly. " She's been kicking like crazy all day. This kid'll be one hell of a soccer-player."

Kai responded with a grin, and for a short while they remained in silence, entrapped by their thoughts. He was almost startled when Oliver suddenly spoke. " Look… I know how that… stunt of Tyson's hurt you. And I'm far, far from forgiving. But…" The boy sighed, visibly pondering his words carefully. " I… I met him today, and… I think you should see him. Give him a chance."

Disbelief and anger were only two of the billion emotions that rushed through Kai that moment. He had to bite his cheek not to snap completely. " Why the hell should I?" _I believe he made it perfectly clear we have no further things to talk through_, he mentally added in a sour tone.

But the look of despair in Oliver's eyes caught his attention, defied doubt and hurt. " Please, just… do it. Give him one more chance."

This time, his voice was much calmer, almost worried. " Why?"

**¨**

But before either one of the questions had their reply, the door opened and everyone started to cheer as bewildered Aimi was dragged inside.

* * *

Hours passed by faster than anyone could count, and – despite this small twinge in his belly, and the unnerving fact that Ray was also present – Oliver found himself able to relax for pretty much a first time since he'd found out he was pregnant. 

He was just getting himself some lemonade, when a familiar voice nearly made him drop the glass with fright. " You alright?"

Turning to meet a pair of enchanting, amber eyes, he felt a jump somewhere deep inside. Shrugging the confusing feeling away, he pushed a small smile. " Yeah, of course. Why?"

Ray shrugged, not seeming even halfway pleased with his reply. " You're pale, and I know you well enough to know you're tired. Maybe I should take you home."

A sore taste came to his mouth. Funny how good a simple word such as '_okay_' would've tasted… " Thanks, but Enrique's picking me up."

The look in Ray's eyes was almost enough to kill him. " Oh…"

Deciding to make his exit before anything more… dramatic would occur, Oliver attempted to brush pass Ray. But he was held back – more by his own will or Ray's fingers intertwining with his, he had no idea. " Don't." It wasn't an order, not even a request. Just a desperate, broken plea.

He gulped, feeling something big and thorny in his throat. " I won't go through all this crap again, Ray." He still remembered all too well what it'd felt like the last time around when Ray'd told him it was over; the acidic insults, pointless and countless apologies, anger, confusion…

Their daughter wouldn't be contaminated by a seed of such a bitter mistake.

" You… You should know that I don't care about what they say anymore; the village-elders, the fans…" Did Ray's hold tighten, or was it his imagination? " I'm ready."

Oliver found his teeth chewing his lip, his eyes felt like they were on fire. There was a furious kick in his belly. " It's too late."

After that, his brain seemed to work on auto-pilot. He found himself moving, though he had no idea of where he was going. His words sounded somewhat dull as she spoke something to Aimi, then was taken through the front-door – and straight into the arms of Enrique, who was standing behind the door, prepared to knock. He said something to the boy – who knew, perhaps they were even quarreling – until there was Ray's voice in the background, saying something he couldn't comprehend. As the two boys spotted each other, their voices rose to such volume that (though still not understanding another word) Oliver felt his ears aching.

Desperately, he opened his mouth to scream at them to stop, but no voice willed its way out.

And so he ran, as fast as he could, still not having a clue of where he was headed.

**¨**

After having sauntered into who knows where, Oliver had to admit himself that he'd been an idiot with sprinting off. His legs barely carried his weight, and the tiny twinges in his abdomen had transformed into full-grown stabs – all too much like the ones he'd been feeling ten days back.

And frankly, the thought of the hurt growing, and the fact that he had no idea of where he was, were slowly driving him into panic. Especially when all he saw when stumbling forward was a tree and a stone after another.

Eventually, the pain was so horrifying that he was hissing with every step, clutching to his stomach and whole being trembling. " Just… one step… You… can do it…"

Just as he could barely believe in that thought, the pain became about thousand times more severe, unbearable. Gasp of immense pain escaped him when a tidal-wave of agony washed over him, and had to lean against a nearby tree for support. The hurt was accompanied by sheer terror or even beyond when he felt something hot, moist and sticky travelling down his leg. " No…" Seeing nothing but haze, he lowered his gaze – and gave another gasp when seeing something red and sticky staining his pants, along with something close to clear and thicker. Yet again, his bleary eyes widened. _My water… It broke… _" No… No, no, please no…"

The prayers didn't help. He was in a labor – for a month before its time.

No matter how much he would've wanted to run as fast as he could – to get help, to escape the nightmarish situation – he couldn't. Giving a loud cry of pain, he slumped to the ground as his knees gave way. Helplessly, he gazed around with barely seeing eyes, but no one was at sight. " Ray… Enrique… Anyone…" His eyelids turned intolerably heavy, as did his entire body, and he soon found himself laying on the ice-cold ground. " Help…"

He absently noticed that something happened to the pain. He could still feel it, but it was so hollow that it didn't seem to be radiating from his body at all.

Feeling extremely tired all of a sudden, he willed his eyes to rest. One last, desperate plea escaped from him, unheard. " … help…"

And then, it was completely dark and quiet as he laid there, body unmoving and the bloodstain on his pants ever-growing.

* * *

Oliver's words were still hammering Kai's head as he walked towards the small house he – by some inner voice – knew Tyson to be in. Though his being was trembling, his eyes held a look of resolution. 

No matter how much it'd hurt, he'd have to do this. He… he couldn't let Tyson just disappear, like he'd done with Wyatt.

Never before had he seen such a look of stun he did as the boy opened the door. " K – Kai?" But all emotions quickly vanished, like they'd been just his imagination. " Now what are you doing here?"

Tyson could clearly see how much those icy words harmed Kai, as the taller teen's whole body jolted. But the determination never disappeared. " I… I came, because… I need answers, Tyson. I need to understand." The boy swallowed thickly. " I… I want to help."

The shock Tyson felt was like a slap right against the face. " Why?" Why… Why the heck would Kai still care, after all the shit he'd said?

For a merest of seconds, he could've sworn Kai's eyes were glimmering with something else than sunrays. " Because… I still believe in you, Tyson. I… have to." It wasn't until that moment Tyson understood. For all his life, Kai'd been abandoned by pretty much everyone he'd dared to care about. What'd happened to Wyatt… It had been close to a last straw. He was one of the last people the boy had left to rely on.

His eyes were burning as he clenched his fists into irony balls.

_Oh Kai, I'm so sorry…_

His voice, however, was colder than any steel when words finally dropped out. " I don't care about you, Kai. And frankly, I'm sick of playing this mindless game." The shock and betrayal in Kai's eyes almost made him scream with pain, but he forced himself to go on, remembering Seiji's horrible threats. " I used you, and I must admit that it was fun while it lasted. But now… it's time to get real."

God, he'd never seen such pain, such disappointment. The boy was shivering visibly. " You…" Kai's lips kept moving, but the words couldn't be heard.

" Wake up, Kai." Every single fiber of his being screaming out with extreme agony, Tyson lifted his left hand – decorated by a ring Seiji had given him. " This is reality. I don't love you."  
Even getting shot couldn't have possibly hurt Kai more.

Kai's whole body jolted again, and he fully expected darkness to attack him again, wiping away all hurt and consciousness. But that didn't happen. Instead it became colder than he ever remembered it being. The ice eventually circled around his heart, leaving nothing but a dead, lifeless ball.

All emotions and fire died from his eyes as he looked at Tyson, no longer shivering. As he spoke, his voice was as cold as the bluenette's. " I'm glad you don't. Because I hate you." With those words as his closure, he walked away, never looking back.

Never seeing the tears Tyson's closed eyes shed – nor Seiji, who appeared from right behind the door. " Excellent work, Tyson", the older teen complimented. " Must confess, I would've never imagined you being capable of such cruelty."

Tyson's teary eyes squinted, fists clenched again. " I wouldn't suggest to test my self-control any longer, asshole."

Giving a laughter, Seiji ran a hand through his hair, ignoring his shivers of disgust. " It's so adorable when you get all feisty, little dragon." The kiss the older teen placed onto his cheek made him want to vomit or worse, and his body quivered as he hopelessly tried to restrain himself – for Kai's sake, and the unborn, defenseless baby's. " Now… I promised you explanations, and you're going to get some. Follow me."

Quivers of deep suspicion went through Tyson as he followed the boy back into the house, towards a mysterious green door he hadn't been allowed to open up ever before. His eyebrow curved.

_Now this is interesting._

Stopping to the door, Seiji made three knocks – one short, one long, one more short. " He's ready, Master."

" Bring him in, then", came a voice that gave Tyson cold shivers. It was all too familiar…

But before the thought was properly finished, the door opened up – and he gave a loud, tiger-like growl, instinctively shielding his tiny bump. " You bastard…"

Boris gave a dangerous smile that shoved his teeth, approaching. " Well hello, Tyson. Long time no see."

* * *

After pretty much every guest had left, Akira and Zeo were still dancing, enjoying each others' company too much to notice any exhaustion. 

Leaning her forehead against Zeo's shirt that held a familiar scent, Aimi held him a bit more tightly. " Thanks", she whispered.

The boy blinked, confused. " For what?"

She smiled into his shirt. " For… just being here. For not giving in."

Not saying a word, he pulled her closer, kissing her hair.

For a long moment, they remained in peaceful silence – until her knees suddenly buckled, almost sending her skidding down.

" Hey, you okay?" Zeo's voice was lazed with worry – such she didn't want to hear ever again.

She nodded and gulped, her legs shivering violently. " Yeah…"

_Why… is the world spinning so much?_

**¨**

Only one thin wall away, sitting on stairs outside, Akira blew out a long, deep breath. Having managed to avoid Kenny all day had been far more exhausting than she could've ever imagined.

She had just taken a long sip from the glass of water she was holding, when there was a screech as the door opened. Her insides turned cold to the unpleasantly familiar voice. " We need to talk."

She didn't dare to look at Kenny, instead gulped down another mouthful of water. It tasted rotten. " What for?"

The boy snorted. " Nice try, Akira." Uh-huh, full name… This wouldn't be pretty… " Look… I'm not completely dense, 'k? I… I know you've been avoiding me for the past ten days. And I think I deserve to know why."

Akira was tough, always had been. But this… went beyond her limits. With impressive speed she jumped forward, attempting make a dash right pass him. No such luck. With a annoyingly stubborn look upon his face, he stood in front of the door, blocking the way. She growled. " Let me through, Johnsson."

His eyes hardened. " No chance. Not until you answer me."

Shivering with rage, she realized that there was no option. Growling once again, she first glared at him – almost like really believing it would help – then felt her shoulders slump with total, utter defeat. " Because… Because you're driving me crazy, okay?" she hissed, humiliated, outraged and terrified all at once. " Because I… I can't even think when you're near me!"

Kenny's eyes immediately grew wide, and the boy gave a loud gasp, stumbling back against the door. " Oh… my God…" For several times, his mouth opened without working. " Aki…"

Feeling even more humiliated than before, she hissed again. " Let me through, damnit!" So saying, she brushed pass him – but suddenly froze completely as a strange, cold wave went through her. This time it was she who gasped, ever more loudly than Kenny, and her hand flew against her heaving chest. The glass fell. " No…"

Terrified, the boy laid a hand to her shoulder. " A – Aki? What's wrong?"

She didn't manage to reply, before a heart-wrenching, chilling scream of far beyond panic reached both their ears. " AIMI!"

**¨**

Aimi struggled as hard as she possibly could, but her legs were too weak to support her weight anymore. Everything was spinning and buzzing so badly that she could barely see.

" Aimi?"

It was so hard to breathe…

Desperately, she sucked in a wheezing breath of air, helplessly clinging to the boy to remain the little footing she had. " Zeo…"

She never had the chance to finish.

Everything went black and as silent as death.

She fell.

" AIMI!"

* * *

TBC. **

* * *

**

A/N: (dodges sharp objects) Yeah, yeah another cliffie. And a MULTIPLE one?! (sweatdrops) I'm a meanie, aren't I?

Um… Heh, there's nothing much I can say for my defense, so... I suppose it's bye until next time, fellows! I promise you, I'll update ASAP!

Thanks for sticking around this long! (sends another set of hugs) Hope I'll see yah!

**And please, please, drop a review!**


	11. Angels flying and stumbling

A/N: Weeeheeeeeee, I'm back again! (makes an embarrassing dance) (note to self: NO sugar before writing an A/N EVER again) 

I'll be moving on – soon. But first…

Yet again, thank you from the deepest corners of what's called my heart for your reviews! (sends bear-hugs all over) You guys really, really, REALLY save a day with those messages of yours, you know that?

Allllllright… (sweatdrops) Before I'll scare you all away, let's get on, shall we? Quite a bit is going to happen in this chappy. 'Hope this doesn't stink too much.

* * *

**Chapter ten: Angels flying and stumbling**

Tyson Granger had felt repulsed for several times during his life.

When his mother was buried. When his father had headed for work abroad. When enduring all the crap Seiji had done and said to him. When purposely tearing Kai apart.

But never before had he felt anything even close to the sensation he got when glaring into Boris' eyes that held no emotion at all. " Shouldn't you be in prison?" His voice screeched like one of wounded beast's, and subconsciously he kept shielding his bump.

The tall man gave a grin. " I have come to notice that those places are quite easy to get out." The grin widened. " Oh, there is absolutely no need to hide that little bump of yours."

Tyson's eyes squinted, adrenaline flooding through his veins. " How the hell…?"

" Now, now, there is no reason for such language. But as for the question…" Something dark and sinister – much like what he'd seen in Seiji's eyes for far too many times – came to the man's eyes, that'd started to gleam. " How exactly do you think you could become pregnant, Tyson? Who do you think made it possible?"

Tyson started to feel dizzy, as pieces started to click. There was growl that echoed in the walls. " You… sick bastard…", he spat through tightly gritted teeth. " What the heck have you done to me?"

* * *

Ray was convinced the clock he kept staring at wasn't working. How else could it be that it had only moved a mere inch in a decade?

" Ray?"

Startled, he lifted his gaze to meet Enrique's questioning, perhaps even annoyed eyes. He quickly looked away. " Hi."

He fully expected the other to give a complete blowout – for letting Oliver run off like that, for upsetting the boy, for… well, all the crap that was going. That's why he was shocked when the other merely took a seat beside him, remaining silent for a long while until almost whispering. " Why did you come?" The tone wasn't angry, nor accusing. But still, Ray knew the reply was something he'd have to consider carefully.

He felt a shiver. " Because… I care about them. Both of them." His eyes darkened with self-hatred. " I'm never gonna forget that anymore."

Enrique opened his mouth, about to say something, but became interrupted when Dr. Niamana appeared into sight, seeming exhausted.

Ray immediately bounced up, shivering visibly. " How… How are they?"

The doctor sighed, seeming so sorrowful that both boys felt their chest tighten and insides turn chilly. " I think Oliver should recover in time. But the baby…" She gulped loudly. " Look, Ray… It's a miracle they both made it this far – such I've never seen before. But… It's much too early. I… I would lie encouraging you to expect a miracle."

Something must've happened to the air in Ray's lungs, because all of a sudden, they were completely hollow, leaving him gasping for a pitiable breath of air. Tears gathered into his eyes, but refused to spill.

It took a long, agonizing moment before he managed to breath out words. " I… I have to see him…"

Biting her lip not to cry, the doctor nodded. " He's under anesthetics, and we'll take him into OR in a minute, but… I suppose there's time for a brief glance."

**¨**

Later on, Ray had no recollection of the journey and elevator-ride he took to get to the room where Oliver was, laying in a bed and seeming so frail that his eyes stung again. But he bit back the tears, deciding that he had to keep up the brave front – for Oliver's sake, and their tiny daughter's.

He wasn't going to let either one slip away.

Slowly, as though approaching some deranged animal, he walked up to Oliver, grasping the boy's hand so tightly that it was probably painful.

Feeling the touch despite anesthetics, Oliver inched his eyelids, gaping up at him with bleary eyes. " Ray?" Despite his almost delirious state, the boy's eyes quickly adapted a look of sheer panic. " The baby… There was blood…"

Biting his lip once more, Ray caressed the French's face with his free hand. " It's okay. You'll both be just fine." He even managed to crack a thin, pathetic fake-smile. " Now go to sleep. When you wake up, it… it'll be alright."

Simply too tired to question his words, Oliver allowed his eyes to rest, giving his hand a weak squeeze that obviously sought for support. Swallowing down the burn in his throat, he returned the gesture, watching as Oliver drifted into world of oblivion.

As soon as the other's breathing turned calm and slow, he felt his cheeks turn moist. And although he hadn't exactly had faith in years, that night he prayed harder than ever in his life.

* * *

Not too far away in the hospital, Kenny forced a smile when Aimi's eyes finally fluttered open, gazing at the ceiling with exhaustion and confusion. " 'Morning. I thought you'd decided not to wake up for me at all."

She gave a small, hoarse laughter, turning her head so she could see him. " Smart-ass." She then licked her bone-dry lips, obviously trying to concentrate. " For how long… was I asleep?"

" An hour or so." He thought for a while before carrying on. " Mr. D is just searching for Dr. Niamana. They're gonna talk about the options…"

" Kenny, stop it. Please." Aimi's voice was so sharp and demanding that it succeeded in silencing him. " Look… I'm not scared, 'k? And… I refuse to be in denial. So… I won't let you do so, either."

Tears stung Kenny's eyes when he opened his mouth, but no words came out. He couldn't protest, because… he knew she was right.

He was almost startled when she spoke again. " There's… something I need to talk to you about."

Puzzled, he blinked. " What is it?"

Her eyes flashed as she looked at him. " Akira."

* * *

Just a small distance away, the waiting-room had a heavy, dark cloud hanging above it. Only the sound of clock ticking and gentle wind blowing outside could be heard as the group sat in paralyzed silence, waiting helplessly.

Tala and Hilary – all their differences pushed aside – were sitting next to each other, hands (or rather fingertips) intertwined in a subtle expression of mutual feelings. Bryan – when not phasing around like a tiger trapped into a cage too small – fruitlessly kept trying to reach out for Kai, who stood before a window with a blank expression, like he'd been doing ever since returning from his talk with Aimi. Zeo – purposely secluding himself from everyone else – was sitting on a bench, eyes filled with mute horror and unshed tears. He hadn't budged since he'd slumped down.

The atmosphere was suddenly pierced by a sound of door opening, and soon Kenny entered. It wasn't difficult to see how hard to boy was trembling. As he spoke to Zeo, his voice was nothing more than a whisper. " It's your turn." It took a tireless age before the green-haired boy managed to convince himself to move. As soon as he'd wordlessly sauntered out – seeming so lost that it would've broken anyone's heart – he spoke again. " Where's Akira?"

* * *

In England, people hardly noticed the figure that sat on the airport's bench, face hardened with the sobs he tried to block back.He'd done his share of crying.

Suddenly, Max was awoken from his thoughts as the dull, monotonous voice from the speakers announced the last call to his flight.

Standing up – praying that his knees wouldn't buckle – he looked around, almost like searching for something. Disappointment flashing in his chest, he headed towards the gate from which his flight would take off.

" Max Aaron Tate!"

Startled – to put it mildly – he froze, turning his gaze towards the sound that was almost… familiar. A gasp erupted through his lips. " Emily?"

There was this fire he'd never seen before in her slightly reddened eyes as she limped towards him, wincing in pain with every single step. As she was so near that they could've easily touched, she stood still, and they gaped at each other in somewhat confused silence.

The words that eventually dropped through Max's lips were ones he wouldn't have expected. " What are you doing here?" Gosh, he sounded like a five-year-old.

Giving a sniff, Emily shook her head, apparently unable to decide whether she should laugh, cry or lash out. " I just don't know if I should yell at you, punch you or hug you. So… You tell me."

Still dazed by the mere sight of her, he opened his mouth for a couple of times before actually finding voice. The words held much more bitterness than he would've liked. " Where did you leave Michael?"

Disbelief and annoyance shifted turns upon her face. " I actually hopped all the way here, with my ankle close to the size of a football. Do you seriously think I give a damn about where Michael is?"

Still not quite daring himself to believe, he thought for a while before carrying on. " So you… you don't want me to leave?"

By then, she seemed deeply irritated. " Do you want me to spell it out or what?" His whole chest hopped as her hand grasped his, holding so tightly that nails dug into skin. " It's… it's been a hell for the past weeks, 'k? I… I don't want to spent the rest of my life like that." Words 'without you' didn't have to be added.

Slowly realizing that she was for real, Max found a smile tugging the corners of his lips. Gently, he squeezed Emily's smaller hand, closing his fingers protectively around it. Never before had he felt such warmth fluttering inside his chest. " Well, good. In that case, I didn't put mom's money to waste when chasing you like a lost puppy."

Emily gave a slightly teary laughter, after which comfortable silence lingered over them. Taking a look at the girl's ankle – which had swollen to a painfully huge size – he resolutely placed one arm under her legs and another behind her back. She gave s cry of surprise as he swept her off her feet. " Damnit, Max! Are you trying to give me a heart-attack?"

Ignoring her protest with a smirk, he carried her towards the entrance. " Alright, sissy, let's get that ankle of yours checked up." Caught into a spur of a moment, he kissed her hair. " And then, we'll go home."

* * *

Back in Japan, it didn't take Kenny long to find the spot in the hospital's garden where Akira sat with her back to him, slender frame shuttering.

For a moment, he paused, unsure, until he remembered Aimi's words.

/ _" Akira… has never had too much of luck or happiness in her life. She hasn't believed in love since she was seven. But when she met you…"_ /

Still hesitant, he approached the girl, furiously trying to figure out how to start. Hearing the rustle under his steps, she tensed, most definitely sensing it was him.

/ _" She cares about you more than she's ever cared about anyone, Kenny. I… I would even go as far as saying that… she could fall for you."_ /

Seconds were still as he stood, standing right behind her, so close that he could feel the warmth she emitted. Once again, he opened his mouth for words, only to find that he had none.

What was there to say?

/ _" The… crush you had on me… It wasn't real, never could've been. But this… This is different. So… If you can… give her what she needs. What you both need."_ /

Eventually, he realized that perhaps sometimes, there were moments when there was no need for words.

Slowly, he took a seat beside her, then – hesitantly – reached out a hand to take hers. After a moment of hesitation, trembling fingers linked with his.

* * *

The last thing Tyson would've wanted to do was listen to what Boris had to say. But he desperately wanted to know the truth – no matter what the outcome. For the baby. " What the hell did you do to me?" he repeated in a growl, taking a defensive stance.

Boris seemed almost thoughtful, drifting into his thoughts. " I'm sure you don't remember much about it – after all, you were just a child. But for a moment, you were… an interesting addition to the Abbey's little collection."

It felt like someone had punched all air out of his lungs. He gave a gasp, eyes widening. " W – what?"

The Abbey…

**¨**

/ _There was a smirk that froze eight-year-old Tyson's blood upon Boris' lips as the man opened up a huge door for him and the person carrying him. " Well hello, Tyson. And welcome to the Abbey."_ /

**¨**

His face obtained a color of a chalk, and he took support from a wall, convinced that he'd collapse. " Impossible…" He shook his head to himself. " I… I was never there… Couldn't have been…"

" We found your skills beyond impressive when you were only two-years-old." Boris' voice was indifferent, only holding a small edge of something close to excitement. " That's why we fooled your mother to bring you in."

His stormy eyes widened, filling with shock past words. " M – mom?"

**¨**

/ _Five-year-old Tyson was rapidly getting bored with sitting in a swing in a small park. For about hundredth time, he turned towards his mother to ask if they could leave already – but words died into his throat when he noticed that she wasn't alone. Sitting on a bench beside her was Boris, eyes filled with something that almost stilled his heart. " It's for his best, Reiko." The man reached out for her hand. " The Abbey is an excellent school – you've seen it, having worked there. We would never bring harm on your son – I'll personally guarantee that."_

_Reiko's eyes – that had the same shade as Tyson's – held a torn, mournful look as they met her son._

" _You and your boyfriend will never be able to give two boys the life they deserve", Boris went on. His soulless eyes swept towards Tyson. " Don't you think he deserves this? That he's worthy of a good life?"_

_Blinking furiously, Reiko bit her lip and bowed her head, letting her eyes slip closed. " Alright, then", she half-hissed, half-whispered. " But… I want to see him every day. And… You can't harm him, I… I won't let you."_

_A demonic smile appeared to Boris' face. He'd caught his prey. " Don't worry, Reiko", he almost purred, stroking the woman's long, pitch-black locks. " We'll take very, very good care of your son. I'll make sure of that."_ /

**¨**

Tyson felt like throwing up. His voice shivered as he spoke. " You… you played her, fooled her…" His eyes narrowed, and only the scraps of his common sense kept him from simply attacking the man and skinning him alive. " How the hell could you?!"

Boris merely shrugged. " Because of you. You see… Biovolt needs a new breed of soldiers. A next generation. And we had to research every single option to achieve that. But I couldn't risk my son or any of our other strongest bladers – such as Kai, Tala, Bryan, Spencer and Ian." The man's eyes flashed. " As I said, we discovered you are a exceptionally gifted individual. And strong – both physically and mentally. A perfect test-subject."

Tyson felt himself shivering. Once again, he shielded his bump, feeling squirming inside. " A test-subject for what?" Yet again, nausea crept up his throat. " Did you…? Did you pieces of shit use me as one of your lab-rats?"

**¨**

/ _Terror – such Tyson had never in his life felt before – flooded through him as a man (wearing a mask that covered his face) painfully pushed a needle into his arm, injecting something that felt as cold as ice. " Don't worry, kid." The male-voice's English was wobbly, scarcely understandable. " This will all be over soon. After this operation, you'll be stronger and better than ever."_

_With those words, everything went black for him._ /

**¨**

" The organs we placed into you finally made our dream of a perfect soldier possible. The operation was risky – several test-subjects before you died – but you… You were a complete success. Even our doctors were baffled. After that… our only challenge was to match you with the perfect father."

Tyson blinked, feeling extremely cold and increasingly nauseous. _Kai?_

It seemed Boris read his thoughts. " Even though he's the strongest being ever held in the Abbey, Kai Hiwatari was out of the question. He was too strong and stubborn, much too dangerous; I must confess, even Voltaire was afraid of him. To put it shortly… he's a project gone wrong." The man glanced at Seiji, whom Tyson had almost forgotten. " But my son… He's a perfect candidate – physically and mentally." The mans eyes then moved to his belly, darkening. " The child of you two… There'll be nothing that could stand in his way."

Tyson's head was buzzing so badly that it was almost impossible to think. But his mind still clicked.

_He… he thinks this child is… Seiji's?_

For a moment, he almost laughed at the ridiculous thought, but then closed his mouth firmly. So long as Boris didn't know Kai was the father, the child would be safe. The man would destroy it without a blink if he knew.

So instead of laughing out loud, he growled. " I'm never giving you two my child."

Seiji snorted. " And you think we're asking you?" Faster than he could blink, the boy was at his side, a needle that'd appeared from nowhere plunged into his neck. His moan of pain made the boy smirk. " Just relax, and this'll hurt much less. Just fall asleep…"

And he did.

* * *

Ray had no idea of how many more hours had passed, when he suddenly woke up to the feeling of something moving underneath him. Slowly opening his eyes, he tried to smile a little when discovering that Oliver was awake. " Hey."

The boy blinked exhaustedly, visibly trying to concentrate. " The… the baby… Where is she?"

Ray's heart shrunk as he feared he'd have to be the one to reply. But as though on cue, Dr. Niamana entered, seeming even more tired than before. " Well morning, Oliver. Good to see you awake."

Ignoring her words, Oliver forced himself into a sitting position, although it must've hurt like hell. His eyes were filled with such terror there's no describing it. " I… I want my daughter… I have to see her… Where is she?"

Pain flashed in the doctor's eyes as she gulped thickly. " Look…" Giving an exasperated sigh, she took a seat beside the distraught teen's bed, obviously trying to find words. " It's… It's a small miracle that you made it after such a blood-loss and complications. But… You need to understand that it's much too early for her to be born." There were almost tears in her eyes. " She's still hanging on, but… She's far smaller than we'd like, and there are several problems – big ones – she'll have to fight through." She gulped again. " I… I'm sorry…"

Tears meandered down Oliver's face. " I… I have to see her. Please."

Not finding her voice, she simply nodded.

**¨**

After what felt like a decade, Ray felt like he'd been in some sort of a dream – or rather a nightmare – as he stood behind the wheelchair in which Oliver was sitting, staring at the hopelessly tiny creature struggling for breath in a incubator.

He had no memory of how he'd gotten there. Dr. Niamana had forced herself to talk the entire way, and he was sure terrifying words 'emergency baptism' had been mentioned.

He woke up from the stupor by Oliver's soft, choked words, as the French caressed the incubator's surface with his fingertips. " She… she's so beautiful, Ray… She's perfect…"

Feeling his cheeks grow moist and hot, Ray couldn't do anything but nod, an inch from breaking down completely.

Oliver went on, though talking sounded painful. " Remember the dream I told you about? The… the one about her." There was a gulp. " I… I think her name should be Tanjia Iana. Tanjia… it means angel."

Ray bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood. " It sounds… just right", he whispered.

And as silence engulfed them, both felt more helpless than ever in their lives.

* * *

In a room not quite nearby, Zeo – actually swaying while sitting – absentmindedly stroked the soft locks of Aimi's (who he though was asleep), his thoughts straying a mile away.

He jumped when her tired, yet commanding voice suddenly slashed the silence. " You should go to sleep, Zeo."

He blinked, confused. " Why?"

She gave a small, crooked smile, caressing his cheek. " You look like a zombie. Besides, I don't want you to collapse on me."

The idea of sleeping sounded more than tempting, but Zeo hesitated, frowning. " I… I don't want to."

Understanding, Aimi smiled, stroking his hand. " I'm not going anywhere, sweetie. Just sleep; it'll make you feel much better."

Deciding that there was no harm in believing her, he smiled, planting her forehead a soft, tender kiss. " 'Guess you're right."

She grinned faintly. " Always." Her hold on his hand became just slightly firmer. " Good night, _aisuru_. Sweet dreams."

Still smiling, he closed his eyes. " Good night, hummingbird."

For a long while, Aimi defied the wave of fatigue that wanted to sweep her along, watching Zeo's for once calm, painless face through half-closed eyelids. Her other hand kept stroking his.

Eventually, she gave a deep sigh and allowed her eyes to rest. " 'Love you", she whispered, drifting off herself. Her grip on him broke as she sunk deeper and deeper.

Usually, people imagine that at a moment of someone's life ending, it starts to rain – hopelessly, sorrowfully. But this time, bright, beautiful sunset rose to greet a new day.

And tender rays of sun caressed Aimi's pale face as her breath ceased.

* * *

Some of the people in the waiting-room had already fallen asleep – having been waiting all night – when the door once again opened. Not even noticing it, they all jumped up to their feet when Mr. D entered. The old man's eyes were red and puffy, and anyone could see how hard it was for him to keep himself together.

Looking at the teens, Mr. D gulped thickly. He'd never even poked on the possibility that he'd have to outlive one of his bladers. And now… he'd have to tell those children that…

No one knew for how long it'd been dead-silent, before Akira's hoarse whisper was heard. " Aimi?"

Was it a sniff that came from the elder? " She… she doesn't have pain anymore, Akira. She's resting now."

For close to eternity, time seemed to stand still as every stood frozen, hardly managing to breathe. Everyone jumped in surprise when there was suddenly movement, and watched as Kai stormed out of the room, the door sliding closed after him.

Sighing to get a breather, Bryan actually felt a flash of relief when having something other besides Aimi for his mind to work on. Blinking away tears was next to impossible. " I… I'll better go after him."

All the others could do was nod dully, barely even realizing everything happening was for real.

**¨**

As minutes – perhaps even hours – slipped by without another trace of Kai, Bryan (almost choking on the tears he was determined not to spill) felt panic rising in his chest.

_Where the hell did he go?_ He swallowed laboriously. _What if…?_

But just then, he froze, senses activating. Frowning, he turned his head to see that right beside, was a door that lead into a chapel. He blinked, dumbfounded.

_Why would Kai go there?_

Deciding to trust on his instincts, he soundlessly entered nonetheless – and felt his heart break. " Oh damn…"

Fallen to one of the front-seats sat Kai, so still that it truly frightened him. The boys eyes were completely glazed over, darted towards the huge cross ahead – most definitely not seeing anything at all – shivering hands resting in his lap.

Bryan bit his lip not to let emotions slip. He couldn't even imagine what was whirring inside the dual-haired boy's head. First Wyatt had been ripped away from him, then Tyson had given him a slash he could barely bear. And now… Aimi was also gone.

Sighing, he hesitantly walked towards the boy, who didn't react to his presence in any way whatsoever. Not even when he laid a hand onto the other's shoulder. " Let's go home, 'k?" he whispered.

When there was still no reaction, he (giving another sigh) helped the other to his feet and half-guided, half-dragged him out of into the hallway. All the way his other arm was wrapped tightly around the trembling, unnaturally slender form, signaling that there was at least one who wasn't going away.

**¨**

A lot later – after successfully getting Kai into bed and letting some frustration and anger out with attacking an innocent punching-bag – Bryan sat on a floor, panting heavily with some dribbles of sweat glimmering on his forehead. He gave a faint, pleased grin when discovering that the punching-bag was almost shattered by his little training-session.

Suddenly, a strangest sensation of something being wrong filled him. Frowning, he looked around – and spotted a piece of paper, half-hidden under the couch. His forehead – entire face, really – wrinkling, he approached, curiosity taking the best of him.

The paper – a white sheet from a notebook, possibly a partial entry from a diary – held slightly wobbly words scrabbled onto it. He blinked in stun when recognizing the handwriting as Tyson's. " What the…?" _It probably ripped off, back when he was packing…_

He knew he should leave it alone; all the years in the Abbey had taught him to respect every single ounce of privacy there was. But… He just couldn't hold himself back, not when there was finally a chance to get some answers.

However, he soon discovered that some secrets were best left alone.

_… after all the shit Seiji did to me. And all this he's done for me…_

_You know, ever since I first saw him, he's meant to me more than anyone else on the face of this damn planet. The two years without him… were a nightmare. And judging by the looks of it, he hasn't been through a joyride, either._

_Parts of the text was so badly smudged that he couldn't make it out._

_I let go of him once. I'm never making the same mistake again._

_I just hope it's not too late._

Bryan's hands trembled just a little as he stared at the seemingly innocent piece of paper, lavender eyes filled with disbelief. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly folded the paper, carefully putting it into his pocket.

There was no reason to confuse Kai with the note any further. But he'd need to have a chat with Tyson.

A _nice_, _long_ chat.

The bluenette had quite a bit of explaining to do.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: See, I can be nice to them! TWO pairs are finally finding each other! (It was… rather satisfying, really, to let Max and Emily work it out.) (sigh) Okay, okay, so I did kill someone. Hated it, but it had to be done. (sniffs) Poor Zeo.

Soooo… What's lil' Bryan to do with the note? Is Kai gonna find out the truth – and set Tyson free from those freaks? And what about tiny Tanjia?

Hold on 'till next chappy, fellows! After that… Hmm, I'm not sure if I should reveal this, but something… _interesting_ is going to happen. Something I believe many have been waiting for. (grins)

I afraid that's all for now, folks! 'Hope you'll all be catching up next time! And until then… PLEASE, **PLEASE**, review! You've gotta know by now how much you pressing that cute little button means to me! (gives the biggest puppy-dog eyes you've ever seen)

Bye for now, everyone, and thank you so much for reading this far! See yah soon (I hope)!

Take care!


	12. Tides shifting

A/N: Oh yes, I'm back again – be it a good or a bad thing.

As always, I'll start out with a bit of babbling…

Yet again, thank you **SO MUCH** for those reviews you guys have actually bothered to send! (huuuugs) You have no idea of their value!

Which reminds me… I've been a bad, bad author. You've spent your time writing me those amazing reviews, and what do I do? I don't even bother commenting! So… Here's some comments to the past reviews… (If you can't find anything for yours, please, don't feel offended! I've just got the worst memory on the face of our dear planet, plus I'm a bit tired after writing a new chapter, so...) I promise you, I'll try and straighten my ways from now on!

Oh yes, this will DEFINITELY be a TyKa fic, no worries there! This just… eh… has a bit of a slow start-up (due to the plot). Buuuuuut, I'll see what'll happen to it from now on… (grins)

Oh, if they'll end up happy? I'm so sorry, but I afraid I can't give that out just yet! There's only one way to find out… (wink, wink)

And in case you're worrying, that baby of Tyson's truly is Kai's. (Awww, he's gonna be a daddy!) (squeal)

And you know what? I hate Seiji, too. Too bad I can't do anything to him at the moment… (left eye twitches)

Alright, alright, it's finally time to move on! 'Hope this chapter isn't a complete waste of your time… Enjoy?

(Oh, btw... The bits of lyrics in here are from "New light of tomorrow" by Husky rescue. Sadly, I don't own a word of it.) (sniff)

* * *

**Chapter eleven: Tides shifting**

Wind caressed two teens' face as they laid on spotlessly green, young grass, eyes fixed to the clouds that lazily drifted across the sky, at times revealing glimpses of sky that was as blue as a dream.

Kai shivered just a bit with surprise when suddenly sensing movement beside him. His face, however, melted into something close to a smile when the other snuggled closer, wrapping an arm around him. " It's so peaceful and quiet here…", the other male murmured.

He gave a small grin. " Not when you keep talking all the time." He laughed openly when Tyson – still practically laying on him – stuck out a tongue. " How mature."

" Meanie-face." Suddenly, the Japanese gave a gasp, one hand flying to his clearly swelled belly. " Wow…"

Something rather uncomfortable squirmed in Kai's stomach. " What's wrong?"

Tyson gave a laughter, shaking his head. " No, no, it's nothing bad! Just…" Gently, the boy took his hand, moving it to the bluenette's abdomen.

Kai was just about to ask what the other was doing, when he suddenly felt a fierce, strong thrust. His eyes grew wide, and a gasp of astonishment erupted. " Oh my gosh…" Feeling lightheaded, he met Tyson's stormy eyes. " Is it…?"

The other nodded, grinning widely. " Quite a fighter, huh?"

He blinked – eyes stinging – and nodded faintly. " Yeah…"

As silence fell on them, he found himself wrapping his both arms around the smaller teen, pulling the bluenette closer than humanly possible. As Tyson nuzzled his head to his chest, he closed his eyes, biting his lip.

It took a long while before he managed to utter hoarse words. " I… I wish I'd get to meet the baby… At least for a while."

" You will." There was a quiver of uncertainty in the bluenette's voice. " And I refuse to let you think otherwise."

A small, slightly sad smile came to Kai's face as he kissed Tyson's hair, holding the boy just a little more tightly. " I afraid we don't have much choice over the matter, dragon."

And as if to mark his words, there was a sound of grass rustling under footsteps. Both of them tensed, and he could feel Tyson cling to him, unwilling to let go. " Is it time already?" the bluenette almost whispered.

He gulped thickly, teeth sinking to his lower lip again. " Yeah, I afraid so."

As slowly as humanly possible, the two got up, still holding hands without even noticing it. A small growl came from Tyson's direction when they saw Wyatt walking towards them. The boy paused just some steps away, solemn look upon his face. " It's time to go, Kai."

Kai's chest had never heaved the way it did when Tyson's fingers slipped from his hold, and a strangely familiar coldness filled his whole body. As he walked up to Wyatt and helplessly allowed the boy to take him away, he couldn't take a single glance over his shoulder.

And all that remained when everything faded to white was his faint 'I'm sorry'.

**¨**

When Kai's eyes fluttered open, his first thought was that he was still dreaming, as everything remained white. But slowly, shapes and forms started to clear out.

He wasn't laying on a grass-field, watching the clouds. Wyatt was still dead. And Tyson…

Giving a mew, he allowed his eyes to fall closed again, choosing that he wouldn't wake up for another while. _Long_ while.

But unfortunately, someone had other plans. There was a soft, cautious knock on his door. " Kai?" Tala called out, voice carrying some uncertainty. " You asleep?"

Deciding that he was, he kept his eyes closed, body unwilling to move an inch. After a while, steps disappeared from behind the door as Tala figured it wouldn't do harm to let him sleep for another while. Low, quiet talking was heard when he whispered to someone.

Slowly, Kai's mind drifted off again. But this time, he didn't find Tyson.

What he didn't know, was that on his nightstand, Dranzer glowed like a flame for another while before returning to normal.

**¨**

Elsewhere, Tyson also snapped his eyes open, emitting a gasp of despair and startle. There was a feisty, almost painful kick in his stomach – like even the baby had known. " Kai, don't!" But of course, there was no reply.

It was practically impossible not to shed any tears. But all the pain – no matter how intense – transformed into all consuming rage when there was a sharp knock, followed by the voice of Seiji's that made his usual morning-sickness grow tenfold. Couldn't those freaks just leave him alone? " Time for examination."

A growl (just like the one he'd given in his dream – if it'd been one) escaped as he carefully got up from the uncomfortably hard bed. " Give me a moment, damnit!"

There was a hollow laughter. " Having another bad morning, are we? Well, take your time. I and father will be waiting for you downstairs." After those words, there were distancing steps.

As he gradually got changed, Tyson suddenly felt another kick, this time a much smaller one. He blinked, suddenly finding it very hard to stay strong. When a sniff came, he gently brought his hand to the bump that was just beginning to show. " You will get to meet your _papa_ one day, little one. I promise you."

With that pledge, he left the room, once again pulling on the façade of indifference that'd became his mask during the past weeks.

He never noticed how Dragoon (in the pocket of his jacket, that'd been forgotten to the floor) glowed with almost blinding blue light, before returning to normal.

* * *

/ **you gave me hope amidst my sorrow** /

* * *

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Zeo had always imagined that it would be raining the day he'd have to watch Aimi's coffin being covered by thick layers of dirt. That's why he was feeling betrayed when sun was shining so brightly that it almost blinded him as he sat in his father's limousine, the man sitting wordlessly beside him. 

He blinked when the man suddenly spoke, like waking up. " Look, Zeo…" The man sighed. " I… I admit that I never quite accepted Aimi. And I would lie saying I do now. But… I'm still sorry; the way I treated her… left a lot to be desired."

Zeo snorted, not looking at his father. " You insulted her. And you kicked her out when she came to talk some sense into you."

The man's eyes darkened with sadness as he looked at his son, finally understanding. " She really loved you, didn't she?"

The boy's eyes also darkened. " She's the only one who did."

Had he looked, he would've seen the man's face twist into a grimace. " You know very well that isn't true." There was a brief silence before he went on. " Zeo, I know I haven't been… perfect – as you grow up, you'll come to find no one is. I made stupid mistakes; such I doubt you'll ever fully forgive me. But I did all that because… I love you."

Their eyes met, Zeo's filling with stun as he realized the man was serious. " Why?"

The question came so rapidly, so sincerely, that the man felt his heart break. " Because you're my son."

Zeo gave a small, bitter smile, looking away. " No, I'm not. Not really."

The man opened his mouth, but unfortunately, couldn't find his voice. And then the car pulled to a stop, just before a small, beautiful church.

Preparing himself to leave, Zeo suddenly paused. " You know how you decided to give me emotions?" It was nothing but a whisper. " I wish you hadn't." So saying, he was out, and disappeared before another thought came to the man's head.

* * *

/ **may it be tomorrow, that I can love again** /

* * *

Silence had remained unbroken for what seemed like an eternity while Tala and Hilary sat in the flat Kai and Bryan shared, waiting for the dual-hared teen to finish getting dressed. (Bryan had asked them to keep an eye on the teen while he had business to attend, not daring to leave him alone.) 

" I'm sorry."

The words came so quickly and unexpectedly that Hilary almost fell off her chair with shock. Blinking, she looked at the boy next to her, who refused to return her gaze. " What for?" Like she hadn't known…

Tala gave a snort, but chose not to make any remarks. Instead he just continued. " I should've trusted you."

Staring at some spot in distance, she nodded lightly. " Yeah, you should've."

Tala's eyes squinted just a little. " He's one of the last pieces of… family I have. I… can't take chances. I won't."

Without noticing it, Hilary brushed the ring that hang on her neck (hidden from curious eyes). " I'm a part of that family too, remember?" Strangely enough, her tone wasn't accusing.

" I do." He sighed, rubbing his temple a little. " I just wish I knew what the to do."

A small smile came to her face, as her eyes lit into a flame. " We'll fight", she announced, taking his hand with such intensity that he jolted. " There's no way in hell we'll let the little there's left of this insane 'family' of ours to fall apart."

There was a glimpse of something – hope, perhaps – in Tala's ice-blue eyes as they finally shifted to meet her. " Does that include us?"

She opened her mouth, but couldn't find words to bring out what she wanted to say. Therefore she simply closed her hand around his, squeezing.

Both were slightly startled when the bedroom-door opened, and Kai stepped out, face paler than they'd ever seen.

A frown immediately searched its way to Tala's face. " Are you sure you're…?"

" Let's just go, 'k?" Kai's voice was abnormally thin, choked. " Please?"

Knowing that there was no arguing, the two couldn't do anything but nod.

* * *

/ **and in return for what I've borrowed** /

* * *

Seething. Burning. Fuming. 

None of those words would do to describe the emotions flooding through Bryan as the boy marched towards the house from which he knew he'd find Tyson.

After finding that diary-entry, it had taken him almost two weeks to calm down enough not to kill the bluenette the moment he'd see him. And he still wasn't quite sure of what he'd do.

Already seeing the small house, he suddenly paused, sensing something threatening in the air. " What the hell…?"

Curiosity becoming an irresistible power, he decided to move closer. His steps didn't make a sound as he walked up to the window, peering in. What he saw made a deep frown twist his entire face.

Tyson's expression was one of hatred and disgust as he sat on a chair, probably seeing no point in struggling as a man with long, purple hair on a plait (who had his back to Bryan) prepared a needle, showing it roughly into the boy's arm.

His frown became even deeper, chills went through him. " Now this isn't good…"

And just then, the man's hand shifted so that he saw the back of it – and gave a loud gasp when seeing a familiar scar, left by a long knife. His face fell ghostly-pale. _B – Boris?!_ " Oh shit…"

What the hell was going on?

**¨**

Sensing someone's eyes on him, Boris spun around towards the window – but saw no one. He frowned.

_How odd…_

" Should I take him to the observation-room?"

Waking from the thoughts to his son's voice, he gave a nod. " Do so. I will be there in just a second."

The boy nodded, then craddled the half-unconscious bluenette into his arms, causing a whimper of nausea and abhorrence. Muttering something under his breath, Seiji disappear to downstairs.

Still frowning, Boris took a one last glance towards the window, but still saw nothing. Figuring that he was probably imagining things, he followed his son.

**¨**

Tyson was pleased to discover that the haze clouding his mind was rapidly fading; apparently – thanks to his state – Boris didn't dare to drug him too heavily. He couldn't have been out cold for longer than fifteen minutes.

But it'd been long enough. He gave a gasp when finding himself laying on a creepy bed, next to a very ominous-looking machine. " What the hell are you going to do to my baby?"

Boris – taking a tube of gel – smirked. " Just relax, Tyson. This is nothing more than a ultra-scan. The little warrior inside of you is so precious that I want to make sure it's unharmed."

Trying his hardest to do obey – wanting to make sure the little one was alright himself – Tyson laid still, staring at the roof that was decorated by moisture.

For what felt like eternity, Boris remained silent, and he was already beginning to feel panicked. But then, there was a sound of deep satisfaction. " Everything seems to be just as anticipated. He's fine."

Tyson's heart jumped above his throat. _He_? He gulped. " Is… Is it a… boy?" A son?

Boris gave a nod. " Yes, indeed. Just like the book told me."

Had Tyson not been so baffled by the new information, the last sentence would've made his alarm-bells ring.

Once again, it took quite a while before he couldn't think clearly. By the time he did, he realized that he was back in the room that'd became his own little cell, with Seiji bringing him food that seemed far from eatable. " You should eat more." The boy's tone was casual, so calm that it made shivers run through him. " After all, you are eating for our baby, too."

His fists clenched into balls so tightly that it hurt. _This baby will never be yours, freak._ " My appetite is none of your concern", the grunt out.

Seiji smirked. " Well you really are having a bad day." The boy's eyes flashed – visibly showing how hard it was for him to restrain himself – then became a shade darker than usual. " When you're finished, come downstairs. There's something very important we need to discuss."

Tyson frowned, feeling something alarming run through him. " What's going on?"

" We're moving." Those words out, Seiji disappeared, locking the door behind him.

As soon as the door was closed, Tyson found himself shivering, and his eyes widened.

Moving?

But then… he'd be ripped even further from Kai. From… everything.

" Master."

The deep male-voice came so suddenly that he jumped, deeply startled. Swiftly turning his gaze, he blinked in complete stun when seeing the male almost right beside him. " Dragoon?"

He'd seen his bit-beast in his human-form for about a dozen of times before, but it still confused, almost scared, him. Not that the other would've looked terrifying. The boy – about Kai's height, if not a bit taller – had short, deep-blue hair (their colour much like his) that had one small, long plate on them, along with eyes somewhere between storm and night-sky. On him he had a long, dark-blue kimono.

The first stun soon turned into near-panic. Getting out of a blade in human-form was exhausting and painful for a bit-beast; something was deeply wrong. He gulped. " What's going on?"

" Kai… He needs you. You have to get to him."

If anything, Tyson never questioned his bit-beast's word. He gulped again, thoughts whirring. " How… How am I supposed to get out of here?"

The beast's eyes hardened. " I'll hold them back for as long as I can. But Master, you really must go – now." The other walked up to a window, carefully and soundlessly sliding it open. " This way."

Eyes flashing with gratitude, Tyson hurried forward, carefully climbing to the ladder leading safely to the ground. Just before disappearing, he looked at the beast, frowning. " What about you?"

The other's eyes flashed just like his. " Master, I'll be fine. But you have to go, before it's too late."

Still feeling hesitant, he nodded and carefully started climbing down, knowing that he had no other choice.

He needed to see Kai, as fast as possible. He needed to make sure…

* * *

/ **be with you tomorrow and until the end** /

* * *

Ray had never felt as exhausted as he did when sitting on a chair that'd became familiar to him, watching his tiny daughter, who still laid in a incubator. 

According to doctors, Tanjia had grown considerably stronger during the past days. It was the biggest miracle they'd ever seen (well, perhaps after Oliver's pregnancy), but – fooling all laws of nature – she was overcoming all the problems sent her way. And probably in two weeks, she'd finally be going home with them.

Despite all the ache the approaching funeral, along with all the other crap, caused, he smiled a little, caressing the surface of the incubator. " You really are an angel, aren't you?"

" That's what I've also been telling her."

Startled, he turned his head to find long-ago discharged Oliver standing behind him, a slightly sad look upon his face. " You look like you haven't been slept for weeks."

He snorted. " So do you."

Growing a bit more solemn, Oliver slowly laid a hand onto his shoulder, hesitant. For a longest moment it was silent as both drifted into their thoughts, knowing full well that in an hour, Ray would have to say goodbye to a dear friend. " Ray…" It took a long while before the French found words. " I… Gosh, I'm so sorry."

Ray shook his head, once again concentrating on his daughter. " Don't be. It's no use, anyway." His voice had probably never sounded so bitter. " I… should get going." With that, he tried to get up – but instantly fell back down, legs failing to handle their task.

All the helplessness becoming more than he could handle, he found himself cursing – almost screaming – in Chinese, heart racing in its very limits.

But this once, he wasn't alone. Gradually, a pair of arms wrapped around him, holding him close and collected when he couldn't hold himself together for another second.

And as he buried his face into Oliver's chest, losing himself into the boy's strong, steady heartbeat, he felt safer than ever in his life.

* * *

/ **I know the road we're on is narrow** /

* * *

Kai's eyes were widened as he stared at the small church rid before him, memories pushing themselves through. 

" Kai? You okay?" Ray's voice was strangely deep, filled with worry.

Forcing back the cold mask he'd worn for so long in past, he nodded. As he spoke, his voice was harsh, as cold as his expression. " I am. Let's just get on with this."

He was just about to take a step further, when he suddenly felt that he was being watched. Chills running through him, he turned around – and felt his heart almost stop.

Seeing Kai freeze with a look of utter shock, Tala frowned. " What is it?" Turning his gaze, the redhead gave a loud, beast-like growl. " What the hell is that bastard doing here?"

On the other side of the street stood no other than Tyson, seeming frozen to the spot. As Kai's eyes coldened with bitter hatred and disappointment, the other's filled with remorse so deep that it almost tore him.

And despite all that'd been said and done, all the ache, Kai found himself taking a step a step closer. There was nothing he could do to resist the temptation – and he didn't even want to, not anymore.

But just then, a huge truck dove along the road separating them, and he halted with a blink, suddenly finding his heart racing. Gosh, he was so close…

Startled – almost furious – with those thoughts, he grit his teeth.

_He played you_, he reminded himself. _He fooled you all along._

That, however, didn't make the anxiety grow any less severe. Perhaps there'd be something good after this long nightmare…

But by the time the truck finally disappeared, the bluenette was nowhere to be seen. A sore taste flooded into Kai's mouth while his heart shrunk.

_I should've known…_

A snort came from Tala's direction. " Should've known that coward wouldn't dare to face us."

" Tala, zip it", Hilary snapped, then gazed Kai's way, eyes filled with sympathy. " Look, I know…"

" I… don't need that right now, Hil. But… thanks." It took a long, long while before he had composed himself enough to turn and face his three friends. " We should go inside. We're already late."

Hesitantly, Ray gave a nod, knowing that there was no point in arguing. " Okay. I think the others are already there."

**¨**

On the other side of the street, Tyson could barely breathe as Seiji had pinned him against a tree, so that they wouldn't be seen. The taller teen was so close that his sickening cologne set his nose and throat on fire. " So you thought we'd let you legging out all by yourself?" the boy hissed into his ear. " Are you that anxious to get Kai killed?"

First time since they'd met, it was Tyson who found his fist flying through the air, so heavily that it sent Seiji stumbling. " Don't you… dare threaten him!" Such voice shouldn't have came from a human-being. " If you or your freak of a father…!"

" Tyson, Tyson, haven't you learned anything?" The boy's fingers traveled down his face, hurting more than any punch. " When a Balkov wants something, he gets it – no matter what." The hand moved to his bump, causing the baby to kick furiously. " And he… happens to be one of those things." The boy's eyes were chillingly dark when they met his. " Now come with me, brat, or I'll show you just how far I'm ready to go."

* * *

/ **along comes tomorrow, we're gonna see the sun** /

* * *

/ _The small church was filled with a thick, intoxicating scent of flowers and silence while Kai slowly walked forward, feeling all his confidence stripped off. His eyes – too tired to shed another tear – were so glued to the dark-brown coffin somewhere ahead that he didn't see how people stared at him, whispering. He was trembling so badly that he almost lost his balance._

_Gosh, he'd never felt this out of place…_ /

* * *

The ache in Kai's chest had changed into this dull, empty throbbing when he once again entered a church, following his friends. And just like the last time, his eyes yet again found the coffin (this time colour of pure white), and momentarily he froze, unsure. But all emotions soon vanished, leaving his body blissfully cold and empty. Face showing nothing, he walked on. 

Soon, they noticed Akira, Kenny and Zeo nearby, sitting right next to each other, all huddled together – almost like seeking comfort. Hearing their steps, the trio turned. A jolt went through him as he recognized the haunted, hazy look in Akira's eyes.

* * *

/ _Kai was just about to reach the coffin – the hand holding a single, white rose trembling furiously – when a snarl came from behind him. " What are you doing here?"_

_Gulping laboriously, he shifted around to meet the eyes of Wyatt's mother. Gosh, he'd never seen such fury, such desperation… " Mrs.…"_

" _Why did you have to come?" The woman's voice was hoarse, but still so filled with venom that it froze his blood. " Haven't you done enough?"_

_It had taken all he had to walk this far. This… He couldn't…_

_He gave a choked gasp, feeling his eyes grow teary. " I… I'm sorry…"_

_Those words left lingering to the air, he spun around and ran, as fast as he could, not taking even a single glance back._

_And he ran until he collapsed to the ground. But he still couldn't find a place where he'd be able to forget, where he'd be truly forgiven._ /

* * *

Kai's voice and body worked mechanically as he whispered something to the trio that'd been waiting, surprising himself with hugging them all. His thoughts were too much of a mess to allow him to hear what they responded, but he shivered when Akira cling to him tightly, desperately. The cold armor covering him didn't even stutter as he held her, still staring at the coffin. 

Gosh, he was so sick of feeling… Of losing…

" Bryan! Where the heck were you?"

Blinking, head somewhat hazy, he turned around to see Bryan entering the church. The frantic look upon the boy's face would've alarmed him, had he not still been a devoid of all feelings. " There's… Something's… happened. But… I can't tell yet, not here."

Before anyone could make more questions, the priest entered.

And as from the moment he begun to speak, everything was nothing more than a black haze for Kai – just like the moments after him fleeing from Wyatt's funeral.

* * *

/ _An empty bottle of pills laid on the floor as Kai had slumped onto the bathroom-floor, his head buried to his knees. In his hand, he held a sharp, deadly razor, covered by red – just like a alarmingly big part of the floor. More red traveled down his wrists._

_He wasn't making even a slightest movement._ /

* * *

/ **and with the wings of the first sparrow** /

* * *

The funeral had lasted for far longer than Akira would've liked. And by the time she stared at her sister's fresh grave, she could barely stay up. 

Luckily, there was a pair of arms wrapped around her. " We should go", Kenny's deep, teary whisper came to her ear. " The… the car is waiting. For the reception."

She gave a tiny nod. " I know. It's just…" Did… she just sniff? _Aimi would kill me if she knew I'm crying over her…_ The thought made it even harder to hold everything together. " I… I can't leave her, not yet. It's…" She bit her lip. " It's my turn to protect her now."

There was a long silence – so long she almost forgot Kenny – until the boy spoke. " She'd be proud of you, you know? For… today. Holding on."

She couldn't form words due to the lump in her throat, instead gave a choked cry, leaning closer to Kenny's warmth.

_Gosh, I hope so…_

It took for almost good fifteen minutes before she found her voice. And even then, it was just a ghost of its usual. " Let's… get going", she murmured.

Kenny nodded, wrapping one arm even more tightly around her. " 'K."

And as she walked away, she tried her hardest to turn back and give the grave just a single more look, to make sure Aimi was truly safe and sound.

But she couldn't.

**¨**

Had she looked, she would've seen a man – dressed into dark clothes – sneak out from behind a tree, carrying an astonishing red rose.

For a long moment, he stood frozen before the grave the duo had just left, silent sobs carried away by the wind – just like his whisper. " Oh honey, I'm sorry… I'm sorry for not being strong enough…" Slowly, not wanting to disturb, he kneeled down, dropping the rose. " Goodbye, sweetie. I… I wish I could've…" He trailed off.

And for an endless amount of moments, Aden Naikoma watched over his older daughter's grave, feeling something that no words could ever give justice to.

He didn't disappear until the sun finally went down, taking the secret of his visit with it.

* * *

/ **new light of tomorrow** /

* * *

Tala Valkov certainly isn't the type that cries easily. But that day, it took for ages before he finally felt strong and composed enough to walk out of the small bathroom of the place where Aimi's memorial-reception was held. He felt slightly better with knowing that pretty much everyone was gone; the reception had ended a good half an hour earlier. 

But despite that, he was immediately confronted by Bryan, who seemed even more frantic than before. " We need to talk."

He gave a nod, waiting for a while before attempting to speak out. " You… had something to tell. Something important."

The flash in Bryan's eyes gave him cold shivers. " You… Tala, you're not going to believe this." The boy gulped thickly, with much difficulty. " Boris… I… I saw him today, with Tyson and Seiji. He… he's on the lose. And… I think he's up to something."

At first, Tala's brain wouldn't quite take in all he was hearing. But when it begun to dawn on him that this wasn't just a sick joke, he lost his breath completely. A gasp escaped him as his heart skipped several beats. " Oh… shit…"

But before he could ever get all straying thoughts collected, Hilary barged in – not seeming even an inch less frenzied than Bryan. This time, it was Tala who gave a heavy gulp. " What's wrong?"

The girl's voice was shivering as she spoke. " Please, tell me you know where Kai is."

* * *

/ **we're gonna be as one** /

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: You know, despite the funeral and… all, things are actually beginning to brighten up. Tyson's secret is slowly being revealed, he and Kai still love each other, Ray and Oliver are reforming their bond – just like Tala and Hilary, Akira and Kenny are bonding… Damn, it really does feel good to be nice to them for change. (grins) 

Okay, okay, so I once again left you wondering and guessing. (searches for a place to run) Um… What can I say? Please, stick around for the next chapter! Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait – I've got quite a number of plans for it…

Until next time, folks! But as for now… PLEASE, **PLEEEEEEEASE**, click that review-button! It really saves my day when you do, you know? Not to mention it adds my motivation ( makes me update faster)… (smirks)

Bye for now! Please, show up the next time, and let me hear from you! You guys are all dear!

Adios!


	13. All for family

A/N: Yeah, the new chapter is DONE! (dances around)

I know, I know, I should just let you get on, but first…

WOW! It seems the last chapter really set you off! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those reviews! (sends unimaginably big hugs all over) You guys really know how to cheer a day, don't you?

(Oh my gosh! Do you guys have any idea of how proud it makes me feel that someone who usually isn't too into… well, this type of fics is actually staying tuned and reading! And to know that one who's never reviewed before has spent a moment sending me a note… Again, wow! Nothing could possibly be a greater honour!)

(Ah, it killed me, too, to let Tyson so close, and then rip everything away. (sniff) Life really does suck sometimes, ne?)

Hey, now that I remember, **an announcement**! Once again, I'll have to ask you to **vote** about certain… things! You can find those questions from my closing-a/n.

Awkay, NOW I suppose it's 'bout time to go on. Hope this chapter didn't turn out too horrible, though I felt like putting in about billion things…

* * *

**Chapter twelve: All for family**

Hilary didn't even know there were so many swear-words in Russian as Tala spat out when throwing away his phone, the phasing he'd been doing since learning Kai was missing recommencing. It took a long while before the boy managed to speak in English again. " Where the hell is he?" It was a snarl that held so much panic that it made Hilary's own grow. " What if that asshole found him?" Name 'Boris' didn't have to be mentioned.

Sitting on the couch of the flat Kai and Bryan shared (as dashing there had been the first thing they'd done – it would've been logical that Kai'd gone home), she drew her legs against her chest and wrapped her arms around them, shivering. " I… I'm sure he's okay, Tala." She didn't quite manage to convince even herself. " He… has to be."

Both to jumped a little when the door opened, and Ray – who'd been out looking for Kai – entered. The look upon the neko-jin's face told everything necessary.

But Hilary had to make sure. She winced. " No luck, huh?"

Just as she'd feared, Ray shook his head, eyes flashing with all the emotions whirling inside his head. " I searched everywhere, but…" The boy shook his head again, gulping so loudly that they heard. " I have no idea of where he is." The boy recoiled a bit when Tala started his furious ranting in Russian again, then gazed back at Hilary, desperate hope rising. " Have you guys had any luck?"

She sighed, gaping at the closed kitchen-door, behind which Bryan was. " We… haven't been able to reach him. But Bryan is still on the phone, talking to the police." _Maybe he has more luck than we did._

**¨**

Bryan had never really believed in the power of police; back when he'd been trapped into the Abbey and tried to escape, the police (apparently working for Voltaire) had dragged him back every single time. And the conversation he was having now did nothing to increase his faith.

" _Look, kid, I know you're bored, but I would strongly suggest you to stop wasting my time!_" the officer in the other end stated roughly.

Who would've believed a human-being could roar the way Bryan did. " _You_ listen to _me_, idiot!" It took all his self-control not to smash something to pieces. " A lousy excuse of a human-being you know as Boris – whom _you_ managed to let on the loose, by the way – is happily living it up here, and he might've hurt my two friends! So if you're not gonna do anything to stop him, I will – and it won't be pretty!"

This time the officer sounded hurt. Bryan had most definitely scratched his ego. " _Do you really think insulting me is gonna get you anywhere?_" There was a brief pause. " _We've got the address, alright? If we find it necessary, we'll go and check out that dump you've been babbling about. But I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you._"

The list of curses Bryan gave was even more impressive than the one of Tala's. As he threw the cell-phone against a wall – not really caring if it'd break down – he leaned to the kitchen-table with both hands, sucking in breaths of fury and near-terror that made his chest feel like it'd been on fire.

_What the hell are we going to do?_ Eyes filled with a dazzling variety of emotions, he gazed out the window, squeezing the table even harder. _Kai, where the heck are you?_

* * *

Officer Kenoa Uchika (a middle-aged man with pale-blue eyes, who was slowly losing the last of his brown hair) gave a growl when finishing the phone-call. " Damn idiots…"  
His superior, officer Ioma Kouchiva (a man in his early thirties, with piercing green eyes and auburn hair), who was sitting right behind him, gave him a knowing look. " Another pointless call?"

" Yeah." Kenoa rubbed his forehead, an assault of headache creeping up. " Some brat insisted that he'd seen Boris Balkov in some shit-hole… What the hell would that creep do here?" The man shook his head. " And you know what else he said? That he thinks Boris has prisoners; Tyson… or something like that, and Kai, I think."

Ioma felt all colour draining from his face, and his hand – that was holding a coffee-mug – started to tremble so badly the liquid spilled. " Oh shit…" His widening eyes were filled with millions of emotions as he looked at his colleague, who was calmly flipping through the days newspaper. " Kenoa, did he say if Boris was alone? If… If there was a boy helping him?"

The other shrugged. " Yeah, I suppose. I don't remember clearly, but he could've mentioned name 'Seiji.'"

This time, it was Ioma who growled. " Damn you, Kenoa", he snarled, then took a deep breath, trying to calm down. " Those two freaks are here for Tyson, I'm sure." He sighed, deciding that he'd have to tell the whole story to his (to put it nicely) dense co-worker. " Some months ago – just before you started here – Tyson Granger pressed charges of molestation against Seiji Balkov – Boris' son. The kid went missing straight after. And… a bit after that, we discovered that this Seiji-character was somehow connected to a shooting of gun-dealer; we have every reason to assume he did it." He frowned, shaking his head. " For some reason, however, Tyson pulled back all charges. But… we're still gonna nail Seiji for that murder – before he manages to hurt Tyson, this… Kai or anyone else." His eyes darkened. " And we're gonna take Boris down with that same blow."

Still seeming rather indifferent, Kenoa gave him a look before returning to the paper. " So… What exactly are we gonna do?"

Iona yet again shook his head, muttering insults under his breath, then spoke properly. " Where did the caller say he'd seen Boris?"

* * *

Kai had absolutely no idea of for how long he'd been walking or where he was, nor of where the heck he was going. All he knew was that he'd have to get away – anywhere, as long as it was far enough. 

" Kai?"

The familiar voice disappeared into the loud sounds – sounding a lot like car-horns and screeching – that seemed to come from all around him. He didn't stop.

" Get the hell away from there!"

Something loud was approaching him, successfully smothering the terrified scream. He could feel a blast of air approaching as he kept walking on, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Until suddenly, a cruel force threw him against hard ground, sending him breathless for a moment. When he was finally able to process something, he could hear a thin, shuddering voice speaking. " Kai, what the heck are you doing?"

Finding himself shivering, he slowly lifted his gaze – and was encountered by terror-filled violet orbs. " Oliver?"

Oliver's heart was still racing faster than should've been humanly possible as he stared as Kai's slightly hazy eyes. Panic had sent adrenaline flooding so fast that he could barely breathe.

Gosh, it'd came so close – _too_ close!

He gulped to gain some sense. " That car… It could've hit you!" His voice was still quivering with fright. " You could've been killed!"

For a long while, it didn't seem to him that Kai was actually understanding what he was saying. Then, little by little, the boy's eyes started to widen. Oliver expected a shocked ramble of words – that would've been understandable from anyone who'd almost been ran over by a car. But instead, Kai gave a single, whisper-light sound. " … oh …"

Sighing – the worst of his panic subsiding now that there was no longer danger – Oliver allowed his eyes to examine the taller teen slumped almost underneath him. (Neither had bothered to get back up after hitting the ground.) Though there'd definitely be some bruises later, Kai didn't seem injured. But perhaps making sure wouldn't do harm… " I think I should take you to a doctor. I afraid I tackled you down quite roughly."

Now there was panic. Kai shook his head frantically, and only Oliver's stern, unwavering hold kept the boy from sprinting off and away. " No. No more doctors or hospitals, 'k? Please… Not another one. They… they don't know a thing."

Deciding that Kai was in a shock enough as it was, Oliver simply nodded, trying to smile a little. " Alright. I won't take you anywhere against your will, okay?" They nodded in a sign of mutual understanding. " Good." Just then, he realized how awfully cold the boy was. Kai's whole frame was shivering. _I'll better get him inside._ " C'mon", he stated softly, helping the boy up. " Let's go and get some coffee or something."

**¨**

It took for almost an hour before Kai's mind was evened out enough to allow actual communication. Carefully – not wanting the Russian to sink under again – Oliver tried to ask why the boy had been wandering across a busy driveway like that, but the other couldn't tell, or just didn't want to.

Neither counted for how many minutes they'd been enjoying of their coffees in silence, sitting in the most quiet corner of a café, when Oliver spoke again. " Kai… Are you sure you're alright now?"

Kai's eyes grew darker, but the boy kept his silence, not giving him a glance.

Sighing with defeat, Oliver wandered off to his thoughts.

What on earth was he going to do? What did he have to offer that would snap Kai into reality?

And then, it hit him. Gulping thickly, he took a sip of his drink, hesitating.

Tyson… would kill him for this. But… What other choice did he have?

" Kai…" His voice sounded hoarse, unfamiliar. " There's something you should know. About Tyson."

This time, the Russian's eyes flashed hazardously. Still, the boy didn't look at him. " I don't want anything to do with him. And he's made it quite clear he feels the same way."

His heart throbbed by the agony he could hear. " You don't understand… He hasn't told you everything." He took a deep sigh, then decided to just drop the bomb. " Kai, Tyson… He's pregnant. With your child."

Another bout of shock stole all colour from Kai's face. The boy's eyes had never been as huge as they were when facing him. " You're joking, right? You… you've gotta be." Again, the dual-haired boy's slender body started to tremble. " Please… Tell me he isn't in Seiji's hands with our baby."

Oliver opened his mouth, but before he could reply there was a loud, demanding dial-tone of Kai's cell-phone. It didn't take a lot to notice how badly the boy's hands were shivering when he picked up. " Y – yeah?"

" _Kai, thank God!_" Tala's voice drifted somewhere between overwhelming relief and anger. " _I've been trying to call you for about million times! Where the hell are you?_"

Kai blinked, hopelessly trying to sort out his screaming thoughts. " I'm… with Oliver." He hesitated for a while. " I'm okay." He then frowned. " Tala, what's wrong?" The redhead sounded weird, and it couldn't be just because of him running off.

There was a long pause of uncertainty. " _Kai, you need to promise me you won't do anything stupid._"

Kai's free fists clenched into a tight ball as his blood lit into a flame. " Just tell me what the hell is going on, alright? You're getting me terrified."

Yet again, there was a long pause. When Tala finally spoke, his voice was so quiet that Kai could barely hear. " _Boris… Kai, he's on the loose. And… he's with Tyson and Seiji._"

Kai had to take support from the table when he felt very, very dizzy all of a sudden.

Boris… that freak – bastard, asshole – had Tyson. Tyson _and_ their baby.

His eyes squinted while a long list of curses in Russian escaped through his lips.

" _Kai!_" He couldn't hear another word Tala was saying, as he was already hanging up. " _Don't you dare do anything stupid! Kai, you promised me!_"

First time since Wyatt's death, Kai's eyes carried a furious, untamed fire when they met Oliver's confused ones. " Oliver, I need you to go to Tala and the others."

The French frowned. " What are you…?"

" I have to something. Before it's too late." So saying, Kai jumped up, dashing towards the door. Just before he was out, he turned towards Oliver. " Just… Tell Tala I'm sorry, will you?"

Oliver's frown grew even deeper, worry started to bubble in his veins. " For what?"

But the door already swung closed after the Russian. And smothering silence was his soul reply.

* * *

Zeo had no idea of for how long he'd been laying on his bed, staring at the roof with unblinking eyes. The quilt roaming in every single corner of his being made the pain he was in million times worse. 

He'd never went to the reception after the funeral. Actually, he'd ran away from the church the exact moment the priest had entered.

How the hell was had he been supposed to say 'goodbye' to the only person who'd truly loved him?

Blatantly ignoring his cell-phone – that was beeping as though it'd been possessed – he closed his eyes, wishing that he could've just disappeared from the world with sheer willpower. But nothing such happened. And what made things even worse, was that this time (unlike every single time he'd closed his eyes after first laying them on her) he couldn't find the mental image of Aimi's face.

He gave a small sniff, though tears didn't spill. " Damn you…"

Suddenly, there were sounds of talking from behind the door. Soon, followed a knock as someone assumedly wanted to invade. " _Zeo? Are you gonna let us in, or do we have to break in?_" came Kenny's voice, so determined that the boy definitely wouldn't back down.

He gave a sigh, or rather a growl. " Can I stop you?"

In a second, the door opened, revealing Kenny and Akira (who both seemed pale, and had obviously been doing a lot of crying, as their eyes were red and puffy). " Hi", Akira greeted in what was close to a whisper.

" I don't mean to be rude or anything, but… How did you get in here?" A small frown didn't need invitation. " And what are you doing here?"

Kenny's eyes flickered. " Do you have any idea of how worried you got us when you didn't answer you're goddam cell-phone?"

" Your room-mate let us in, being more than a bit worried", Akira stated, her voice now a bit stronger. " And now, you're gonna come with us. Hilary just called, and sounded… well, weird. She said something's up, but wouldn't tell what."

Zeo's eyes darkened as he turned them away from the duo. " Thanks, but I'd much rather stay here", he responded gruffly.

" Oh, no way." He jumped a bit when Kenny's hand firmly took his, forcing him to his weak, barely carrying feet. The boy's eyes were filled with determination. " We won't just let you stay here locked up for the rest of your life."

" Yes", Akira confirmed, not an inch less resolutely. Her eyes held a look of pain and longing. " And… Aimi wouldn't have wanted that, either. You've gotta now that."

At first, Zeo opened his mouth, about to snap something rather unpleasant. But then, slowly – first time in weeks – a tiny, genuine smile of gratitude came to his weary face. He gave a tiny nod, feeling deeply exhausted. The duo returned the gesture and, without needing to say a word, they left the room, closing the door tightly behind them.

And when he walked out of the building, feeling the cold, yet soft wind caressing his face that was hot with all the tears he shed, Zeo suddenly found his smile widening. Because when he lifted his gaze towards the sky, he could've sworn he saw a special someone smiling.

And two words came to his mind, despite all the pain that still roamed everywhere inside of him.

_Thank you._

* * *

Shadows danced in the old, dusty walls while Seiji calmly made his way towards kitchen. With Boris off to take care of some business-issues, he was left alone with Tyson. But sealing the window closed and locking the door made his job almost ridiculously easy. 

So deep in his thoughts he was, that he didn't notice the shadows move in ominous way before he was suddenly hurled against a wall, with such force that air left his lungs. " You chose a wrong one to toy with, asshole."

Looking up – eyes flaming – he gave an evil grin when seeing a familiar figure step out of the shadows. " Well, well. Never expected you to have the guts to show up here."

Kai arched an eyebrow, eyes glowing magna. " You expect me to just watch you torturing someone I care about more than anything?"

What Kai didn't notice, was that another one of Seiji's hands was moving towards his boots. " Oh, I can promise you, I and father wouldn't torture Tyson, yet at least – not when he's carrying the most powerful soldier ever lived."

Kai shook his head, snorting. " I knew you two were twisted and insane. But I never, ever expected you to be idiots, too."

At this point, Seiji had already graphed what he'd been reaching out for – a long, sharp knife. " You should know…" His hand wrapped around the handle. " … that it's never a good idea to piss off an idiot."

Kai might not have been at his full strength, but he was fast and alert. The exact second Seiji plunged forward with the knife, he shifted, causing the boy to miss. The growl that erupted from the other's direction made him smirk. " Someone that slow would've never made it through the Abbey's final exam without daddy's help."

He soon came to notice that it wasn't a very good idea to provoke Seiji. Giving a cry of fury, the boy stroke forward, and Kai winced as the stone-hard fist met his cheek. " Go to hell, Hiwatari!"

He stroke back, sending Seiji to the floor. The boy laid still. " You first."

Assuming Seiji was unconscious – and too anxious to get to Tyson – he started to rush forward, never seeing that the boy's hand holding the knife was still moving. Mercifully, some sixth sense warned him, though not quite on time. He gave a snarl when the knife made a long, luckily quite shallow cut to his other arm.

Giving a sound of contentment, Seiji tried to strike again. But this time, Kai was prepared. Much more heavily than the last time, his punch met Seiji, and the boy flew backwards – straight against the nearest wall. This time, when he slid to the floor (with his eyes closed and the weapon falling from his grasp) Kai could be sure he was out cold.

For a moment, the thought of just slaughtering Seiji there and then was almost too tempting to resist. But quickly, Kai shook away the bloodthirsty thoughts. He had much more important matters to take care of.

Despite the fact that the little encounter with Seiji had claimed most of his strength (as he definitely wasn't in exactly perfect shape after all he'd been through), he flew up the stairs, needing nothing more than a hunch to know where Tyson was.

Soon enough, he was standing behind a huge, thick wooden door. His heart was pounding almost enough to explode as he tried the handle – only to find the door locked. A rumble escaped him. " Damnit…"

' _Master._' Never had Dranzer sounded so resolute. ' _I can help you, if you let me._'

He frowned. ' _Are you sure?_'

' _Master, please, trust me. For Tyson's sake – and the baby's._'

Those words erased all of his doubt. Eyes flashing, he nodded to himself and pulled out his blade, preparing it. In less than two seconds, the blade flew towards the door's lock with a perfect aim.

He smirked as the door slid open. ' _Thanks._'

' _Whenever you need me, Master. Now hurry._'

And then, the door was fully open. He found himself shivering when ending up face to face with Tyson. No coherent thought came to his mind.

At first, the bluenette's eyes widened, as the boy couldn't or didn't dare to believe he was actually standing there. Then, the truth sinking in, the boy plunged forward and wrapped his arms around him, so tightly that it almost halted his breath.

Biting his lip roughly, Kai wrapped his own arms around the smaller teen and buried his face into the soft locks, holding Tyson as close as humanly possible. As soon as the worst rush of emotions had passed, he reluctantly pushed Tyson away a little to examine him, an evaluating look upon his face. " Are you okay? Did those bastards hurt you?"

Blinking his eyes (still baffled and overcome by emotions), Tyson shook his head. " No. They… they were careful." It wasn't until then the bluenette noticed the cut on his arm. Midnight-blue orbs immediately grew wide, gaping his way with pure rage in them. " But he harmed you, didn't he?" The boy was almost roaring. " I'm gonna…"

" Ty, it's just a cut", he interrupted, not wanting Tyson to get too upset. " And… There's no time for stupidities – Seiji won't stay down for long." Feeling like smiling when seeing the other's inquiring look, he coaxed the smaller hand into his and squeezed. " Let's go and get you out of this rat-hole, 'k?" His eyes hardened a bit. " Then, we'll do talking – _a lot_ of talking."

All Tyson could do was nod.

* * *

As Kai didn't dare to trust on public transportation in fear of being spotted by Boris, he and Tyson took a cab-ride to the airport. 

Walking through the huge doors, Tyson was still struggling to grasp on just what was going on. " Kai… Exactly where are we going?"

The taller teen's eyes darkened just a bit. " To Russia." The boy didn't have to look to see the puzzled look upon his face. " It sounds idiotic, I know. But it's the only place where Boris won't think of searching us – that scumbag knows how much I hate Russia. He'd never imagine I'd take you and our child there."

Tyson felt his face fall pale. " How… do you…?"

Kai gave a smirk, revealing a perfect row of teeth. " I have my ways."

Again, Tyson sunk into his thoughts, trying his hardest to sort things out in his head. Eventually, he gave a gulp. " Kai… How are we gonna do this? I mean… It's not like Boris is going to give up. And… The money…"

" For once, there's actually an advantage from having a grandfather like Voltaire; money is not a problem. And as for Boris…" Never had he seen a look like the one in Kai's eyes at that moment. " Well, we'll just have to make sure he's never, ever going to find us."

He blinked. " How are we gonna do that?"

Kai smirked. " You're just going to have to trust me, Dragon."

First time in ages, Tyson found himself smiling. His squeeze on Kai's hand tightened. " I do." _You have no idea of how much._

" And in case you're wondering… There's no need to worry about the others." Kai's voice was just a slight bit harsh. " All Boris wants is the baby and to see me dead; he won't raise a finger against them. And if he does… I've called someone over to make sure it's the last thing he does."

Yet again, Tyson allowed himself to frown. " Who?"

" Well Kai, it's really been a while." The feminine voice was thickly accented. " I really thought you'd forgotten about me."

Kai grinned a bit. " How could I ever forget you, Irina?"

Looking forward, Tyson found a girl at about his age leaning against a wall, in a posture exactly like Kai's trademark one. Her chin-length hair – that held a colour of ash – were glowing from the light shining from behind her. Her eyes – that held gold, silver and bronze in a wild mixture – didn't need light to flicker. On her she had black pants, also black boots, a silver-grey top and a long, black leatherjacket.

The girl arched one eyebrow and grinned knowingly when turning her head to look at him. " So… You must be the Tyson magazines have been gossiping about."

Stunned, Tyson once again blinked. " Who the heck are you?"

* * *

After Tala's phone-conversation with Kai, a mild chaos had taken over the apartment where the redhead, Hilary, Ray and Bryan still were, all more or less terrified. 

Hilary – who'd been phasing around – suddenly stopped when seeing movement in the corner of her eye. " Where do you think you're going?"

Putting on his jacket, Tala gave her a look, eyes flashing. " I'm gonna go and put a stop to whatever the hell it is those two maniacs are working with." The gaze became darker. " And if Kai's there… I'm gonna get him out, no matter what it takes. Him and Tyson."

This time, it was Hilary who's eyes flashed. " No chance, Valkov." Tala opened his mouth to protest, but didn't get the chance to utter a sound. " I know how terrified you are – heck, I don't think I've ever been this scared in my entire life! But do you seriously think it would do any good if you up there and get yourself killed or captured as well?!"

Desperation filled Tala's eyes. " Hilary, I've gotta do something!"

" Yes, but this isn't the right way!" Her eyes were already glimmering. " I can't let you do this, I won't! I… I'm not gonna lose you!"

Tala's eyes widened with something close to shock, and he slowly opened his mouth. But before he had a chance for a single world, Bryan (who'd once again been talking to the police) and Ray (who'd called Oliver) appeared, both seeming somewhat puzzled. " What's the fuss about?" Bryan inquired.

Hilary's eyes squinted, their ruby turning into lava. " Tala here is just about to go and get himself into a mess, or worse."

For a moment, the two didn't quite understand. But then, both their eyes filled with understanding. Ray shook his head. " No. As much as this is killing us… You can't just barge in there, Tala! It's _Boris_ we're talking about! Boris and Seiji!"

Bryan nodded, eyes harder than stone. " Yes." The lilac haired teen gave a small sigh. " I just spoke to officer Kouchiva. They're working as fast as they possibly can, so we'd be in the way; he said he'd personally come and handcuff us if we'll go there and mess around. So…" He gave a sound of irritation. " Right now… There's nothing we can do but wait."

This time, Tala's eyes squinted. But then, he gave a huge, shuttering sigh of utter defeat, covering his face with his hands. " I hate you guys sometimes, you know?"

Hilary smirked, then walked up to him and wrapped her arms tenderly around his waist. " I know." As he once again revealed his face, she kissed his forehead. " We care about you, too."

Just then, they all jumped at a firm knock on the door. After brief hesitation, it was Bryan who slowly, cautiously, walked up and opened.

As soon as the door was ajar, the lavender-haired teen frowned. " Irina? I thought you were supposed to be in Italy."

She rolled her eyes. " Well hello to you, too. May I come in?" As Bryan moved away, still a bit confused, she entered. " I was in Firenze, but Kai needed me. Speaking of whom…" She kicked off her heavy boots. " He told me to send you a message, knowing you're worried. He's just fine. He and Tyson are making their way towards Russia. He'll call as soon as he can."

For several moments, the gang was just too overwhelmed by relief to ask questions.

Kai was alright, and so was Tyson. Everything would turn out okay.

Eventually, it was Ray who spoke. " Um… I'm not sure if I'm the only one doesn't know, but…" He gaped at the girl. " Who are you?"

" She's Irina. Irina Hiwatari", Tala replied for her. " Kai's sister."

* * *

Less than half an hour after Kai had taken Tyson away from the two maniacs, a squad of police-men – led by officer Kouchiva – barged into the shady house. They all gave frowns when discovering that it was dead-silent. " Hanou, Weng, check out the second floor. Jiang, Meijing, Aikiko, you go and clear out the basement. The rest of you, we'll take care of this floor", Kouchiva ordered, voice screeching with disappointment. _If those two bastards slipped away because of that idiot Uchika…_

Everyone obeyed – seeing that he definitely wasn't in the state to be irritated – and the group spread all over.

About five minutes later, they gathered together again, looks of disappointment and frustration upon their faces. " Please, tell me you had any luck", Kouchiva almost begged, feeling his temple throb uncomfortably.

But, just as he'd feared, everyone shook their heads sombrely. " Not a trace", Weng sighed.

" Same story here", Aikiko reported, eyes burning with something close to rage.

His eyes squinted, and the others startled upon hearing the words he snarled out, momentarily letting his anger seclude sense. Once somewhat composed, he looked around and frowned. " Where's Meijing?"

" Boss, I think there's something you should see." Whirling around, he saw Aki Meijing (about twenty-five years old man with bushy, dark-brown hair and yellowish eyes), approaching. The man was ghostly-pale, a deeply distraught look in his eyes.

His frown deepened. " What is it?"

The man raised his trembling hand, showing him a huge, probably ancient book. It had brown covers, decorated with a picture of phoenix that seemed to be flaming like fire itself. " You… You're not gonna believe what's in this." The man shook his head. " I… I don't think this case… is completely out of this world."

* * *

The hotel-room on the edge of the city was small and smelled like someone had crawled up and died there, but the two male inside didn't complain. 

Seiji gave a small hiss as Boris roughly put stitches to the wound Kai had caused to his head. Anesthetics would've been a bliss, but unfortunately they didn't have any. " I can't believe I let that pathetic idiot take me down like that, steal away my son", he snarled, squinting his eyes with both rage and pain.

" There's no need to be upset." Boris sounded surprisingly, almost chillingly, calm. " After all, there is no spot in world where we wouldn't be able to follow them."

Seiji gave a small curse when overcome by a particularly nasty wave of pain. " What about the police?"

" That matter has already been taken care of." Satisfied with his work, Boris started to put away his equipment. " No matter how far Kai takes Tyson, we'll get him – and the baby – sooner or later. And then, nothing will stand in our way."

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: (dun, dun, dun) The story is truly thickening, huh? A mysterious book, a new OC, lovers on a run… 

But hey, I FINALLY got Kai and Tyson reunited! And Kai knows about the baby! (makes a happy-dance) Perhaps now Kai'll finally have a chance to take a breath and recover in peace. Yeeeeah… Like that bastard Boris would let him have such…

Time for a by the way –section:

Some of you might be wondering where the heck Irina has been, and why we haven't met her before. I promise you, next chapter will tell everything about her. There's a logical explanation to everything. (Well, as far as logic has anything to do with this story…)

And that mysterious book… Its secrets will also start to unfold. Speaking of which…

**In case you have something against mysterious elements** – such as prophecies, destinies etc. (I won't write in resurrections or stuff like that, though) – please, let me know, because I still want to write only stuff you're interested in reading!

This rambling is almost over, but before I buzz off… I promised you **polls**, didn't I? So here they come…

1) I'm thinking of writing a romantic plot for Irina. The problem is, I don't know who to pair her up with; the options are Zeo and Bryan. So… Which one do you guys think she should fall for? Or should she fall for neither?

2) This so has nothing to do with this story, but… As some of you might know, I've been working on my retirement for quite some time. (Which still stinks, btw.) (sniff) Now, I'm finally putting it to action (no matter how little I like it) – but not without a proper farewell fic. But I find myself in trouble. I have some sort of plot planned up (yeah, yeah, yeah, I've got my eyes set on Kai again), but I have no clue of what pairing I should use. There are billions of options! So please, tell me, which pairing would you prefer? I'm open to anything – yaoi, straight, anything goes! (BUT there's one thing… Um… As these freakin' 'channel bosses' around here won't show us the season three from Beyblade, I've only been able to see pieces from it through internet. So… I don't know the characters from that season too well. I've got some sort of a handle on Brooklyn, Garland and Hiro, though.)

**Please, vote!** It's the only way to make a difference!

Okay, 'suppose it's time to call it a off for now! Thank you for sticking around! And until next time… Please, please, please, **review**! (puppy-dog eyes) You've gotta know your opinion means a world to me!

Farewell for now, folks! I really hope I'll see each and every one of you the next time!


	14. Not who you used to knew

A/N: Yes, yes, I'm BACK – with a… um… looooooong chapter. (sweatdrops)

I know, I should carry on, but first…

Thank you so much for those AMAZING reviews! (HUGGIES!) They just keep baffling me! And I'm so glad you liked Irina and the book – I wasn't too sure if I should put them in at all or not!

(Oh, and about Irina… Yeah, it was a bit too soon to put up a vote before properly introducing her. But no worries, the vote's still on. It isn't too late to let me hear you out yet.) (smirks) (And in case you're worried… No, I won't make it a love-triangle. I believe there's enough of drama as it is… Besides, Zeo's got enough to deal with already – falling for Irina or not.) (sweatdrops again)

(Yay, I'm so glad I can make you guys feel with my 'lil stories! I always admire it when an author manages to do it to me – I just can't believe I'm able to do the same!)

(Hey, no worries! I also think about fics in… err… weird places. I'm tremendously relieved to know I'm not the only one of my kind!)

Owkay, before I'll babble you all into coma or something, let's get on with the show! This chapter will explain a bit more about Irina and the book. Plus, you'll get a couple of much longed TyKa scenes. So… Err… Enjoy?

* * *

**Chapter thirteen: Not who you used to knew**

/ _Stanley Dickinson had already fallen asleep while reading a book, when a loud, frantic knock on a door made him jolt awake._

_He blinked tiredly and rubbed his face to wake up while struggling up from his chair, the never-ending knocking hurting his ears. " Oh goodness… I'm coming, I'm coming!" As he opened the door, he had to blink again, this time of surprise. " Zoya?"_

_The woman (who'd covered herself with a long, black jacket to shield her body from the cruel autumn-air) had a look of fear and desperation in her widened silvery eyes that held golden, cat-like glow. Some of her ash-coloured hair (that fell far past her mid-back) had escaped from the carefully made plait, indicating that she'd been doing a lot of running. " Stanley… I and Nikita, we need your help. Please, take care of Irina for a while."_

_It wasn't until then he noticed the small, less than five-years-old girl, who cling tightly to her mother's jacket, scared look in her eyes._

_Worry bubbled in his veins as he met the woman's begging gaze. Nikita had been like a son to him from the day the boy had ended up into his care, right after escaping from the hands of his father, Voltaire Hiwatari. And as soon as he'd married Zoya, she'd became a part of the family as well. Even seeing the look of anxiety in her eyes made panic rise in his chest. " Zoya… What on earth is going on?"_

_The woman spoke in Japanese, a language she knew her daughter couldn't understand yet. " We… Voltaire found us." She gave a thick gulp. " We'll have to fight, whatever it takes. And…" She stroked her daughter's hair that was just like hers. " We can't jeopardise the children. If… If anything should happen… they'll have to be safe."_

_He opened his mouth for a strong protest, but then closed it again when seeing the look in the woman's eyes turn into one of sheer determination – the same he'd seen Nikita having for far, far too many times. As much as he would've wanted to, there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop her. " You know there's no way I can say no."_

_Tremendous relief flashed upon her face. " Thank you." After that, she kneeled to her daughter's level, gently stroking her cheek. " Sweetie, me and daddy have to go away for a while. But… As soon as everything's been taken care of, we'll come and get you and Kai, alright? So… I need you to be a very, very brave girl for a while. Can you do that?"_

_Obviously doing her hardest to hold back tears, the child nodded a little. " Okay."_

_She smiled, doing her best to keep the brave front. " Good girl." She kissed her forehead. " I'll see you as soon as I can, okay? I love you."_

_A couple of tears spilled to the girl's cheek. " I love you too, momma."_

_Biting back tears, the woman straightened her form, looking back at him. " Please, take good care of her… I…" She trailed off._

_Feeling a bang of sadness, he nodded, understanding. " I will." Just then, he remembered something and frowned. " Where's Kai?"_

_Somewhat composed, she sighed. " Nikita… is taking him to one of his co-workers, Boris Balkov. It's terrible to separate them, but… It's safer this way. Perhaps… Perhaps Voltaire won't find them." She then took a look at her watch, and swore under her breath. " I… I have to go now." She bit back a sob. " Thank you so much for this."_

_He nodded, taking the little girl's hand as she was tenderly pushed his way. " Come here, little-one. I'm going to make you a bed, and then you can have some rest, alright?" Receiving a nod, he looked at the woman, for some reason feeling panic arising. " Zoya… Please, be careful. Don't do anything stupid, alright?"_

_She gave a shivering sigh. " I'll try my best, Stanley." With that, she waved goodbye, and – not bearing to look back or able to say a word – rushed away, towards her small car that was parked just across the street._

_Just as the door was closed after her, Irina burst into the hysteric tears she'd obviously been holding back, trembling all over. Giving a deep sigh of agony and sorrow, Mr. D wrapped his arms around the girl he'd known since she was born, pulling her into a tight embrace. She immediately cling to him, as though for dear life. " Oh Irina… Shh, don't cry… Everything's going to be just fine… There's no reason to cry…"_

_Just then, a deafening explosion ran through the whole area, shuttering the windows of his house. And a huge, almost majestic cloud of destructive fire rose to meet the sky as Zoya Hiwatari's car exploded into millions of pieces._

**¨**

_In the meantime, a man with a little over shoulder-length, two-toned hair on a ponytail hugged Boris Balkov while entering the man's apartment, followed by his almost seven-years-old son. His auburn eyes were filled with gratitude and relief. " Thank you so much for doing this, Boris. I… I wouldn't have known who else to turn to."_

_The purple-haired man gave a chilling smirk he couldn't see. " That is what best friends are for, Nikita. Now… Please do come inside, I'm sure you could use something warm to drink."_

_Nikita hesitated a bit, knowing that he was in a hurry, but then gave a nod. He couldn't tell for how Kai would stay with Boris; he owed his friend this much. " Alright." He looked at his son, trying his best to seem calm despite the prevailing circumstances. " Kai, I and Boris… need to talk for a while, okay?"_

_Boris smiled at the child coldly. " There are some toys and video-games upstairs. You can use this house as your own."_

_Some minutes later, the two men were sitting in a living-room, both sipping mugs of herbal-tea. " How exactly did Voltaire find you, after all this time?"_

_Nikita shook his head, a trapped look of fear in his eyes. " I… have no idea; I thought we'd been careful." He shook his head again, taking another sip of his drink. " Someone must've sold us out."_

_Boris arched an eyebrow. " Who could do something like that?"_

_Yet again, he was forced to shake his head. " I don't know yet." His eyes flashed with fury that can't be described by words. " But once I get my hands on that bastard…" He trailed off when a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. Giving a small gasp, he rubbed his face, but the feeling wouldn't go away. " W – what…?"_

_The look he saw in Boris' eyes was so foreign it startled him. " You should know… I'll take very, very good care of Kai."_

_Nikita frowned. By then, the wooziness was so bad he could barely sit up straight. " What… the hell… are you… talking about…?" Just then, pieces begun to click, and his hazy eyes travelled to the mug. It fell from his grasp and smashed to pieces as he gave another gasp, this time one of disbelief. The greenish liquid spread all over. " No… You… wouldn't…"_

" _If it gives you any consolation, Voltaire paid me well. And the privilege of getting to train someone like Kai – the Destroyer… That's a reward enough for anyone."_

_Rage – along with something else, much more vicious – bubbled in Nikita's veins as he glared at the man he'd five minutes earlier believed to be a friend. His eyes – already seeing double – blazed when he struggled himself up. " You… asshole…"_

_Boris merely gave a laughter when he tried to charge forward, but ended up stumbling to all fours. " How very pathetic." Slowly, the man walked up to him, kneeling down. " I suggest you to calm down and stay still; the more worked up you get, the faster the poison will flood through your veins." The man leaned so close that had he had any strength at all, he could've punched him. " You wouldn't want this entertainment to end sooner than necessary, no?"_

_Giving a ferocious growl, he once again glared at Boris, but his vision was so blurry that he could barely make out the man's face. The poison slowly shutting down his lungs, his breathing was nothing but a painful wheeze. His insides seemed to be on fire. " Go… to hell… bastard…" With those words, his body finally gave in and he swayed to the floor, unable to move a muscle._

_Boris gave a cruel laughter. " One day, Nikita, I'll meet you there." Everything seemed to be sinking into a black haze around him, but he could faintly see the man rising to his feet, walking away. " Goodnight, fool. And thank you for sparing me from the trouble of coming to get Kai."_

_And those words were left echoing into Nikita's ears as he desperately suck in one last, wheezing breath, the simple gesture causing unimaginable pain. Tears escaped when his eyes slid closed, and his whole body seemed to just give up on trying._

_Oh Kai, I'm sorry… Gosh, I'm so sorry…_

_After that, he saw, heard or felt nothing more._ /

* * *

Irina's eyes were filled with all the emotions from rage to terror as she kept listening to Mr. D – the man that was like a second father to her – explaining everything about Kai's condition.

As he was through, Mr. D gave a deep gulp, then looked at the girl who was staring out a window, with her back to him. Shivers went through him as a full minute slipped pass, and she didn't utter a word. " Look, Irina… I'm sorry I didn't…"

" I know I've been in that freakin' school in Italy for three fucking years." Her voice was a hiss, so furious that it truly chilled him. " But you… You should've called me! You should've told me!"

His eyes started to sting. " I'm sorry", he repeated in a near-whisper. " I… I only did that, because Kai told me not to call you, no matter what. He… He didn't want you to worry…"

He trailed off when Irina suddenly spun around, and breath was stuck into his throat as he saw her face filled with hatred unlike ever before, tears streaming across her pale cheeks. " He's my brother, damnit!" she practically screamed, voice filled with immense hurt and body shivering. " He's the only thing I have left of my family!" The tears ran even harder. " If… If he tries to take his own life… You should've called me! I… I could've…!" The words died out.

He almost spilled tears himself when she rushed pass him, and tried to graph her hand. He was startled when she roughly slapped it away. " Don't… touch me. Not now." And so she was gone.

* * *

Bryan's eyes squinted as they followed his beyblade make perfect, steady circles on a small dish in a garden, the breathtaking speed it held causing some sparks to erupt.

Suddenly, his senses were activated, and – squinting a bit more – his eyes moved, to detect a beautiful, black blade that held some silver flying towards the dish. As he kept watching, it furiously collided with his, both blades screeching in rage and protest, neither giving in and flying off.

Eventually – just before the blades would've been trashed – both he and his opponent called them back. Turning his head, he found Irina standing just a small distance away, an array of emotions set into her blazing eyes. " Did you have fun?" he inquired.

She snorted, but didn't dignify with him a single word. After a moment, she turned to leave.

This time, it was Bryan who snorted. " Yes, very mature. You finally have the decency to show up, and all you give is silent treatment."

The words made her freeze. As she spoke (not turning around to face him) her voice was like a slash of a whip. " And _you_ think _you_ were oh so courteous when disappearing without a trace?" Her fists clenched to balls, and her whole form started to shiver. " 'Suppose a note of goodbye would've killed you."

His lavender eyes flashed. " Do you really think Boris gave me much of a choice? Or Voltaire, for that matter?" Bending an eyebrow, he folded his arms across his chest. " I'm curious, though. If you really detest me this much… Why did you come?"

As she peered at him over her shoulder, her eyes sparkled the exact same way as Kai's. She revealed her launcher and prepared it. " To kick your ass." She tilted her head. " Do you feel up to it?"

He grinned, revealing his teeth. " I may not have been blading for a while, but I'm still gonna make you swallow that damn pride of yours."

She, too, smirked. " Bring it on then, bird-boy."

" Oh, that one you'll pay for, foxie."

As the battle begun, both felt like they'd been wired up somehow. Two hearts were pounding furiously as they watched their blades circling around each other, like predators on chase. Eyes were filled with such fire that there's no taming it.

The blades' passion easily matched with that of theirs. Time after time, they struck together with such force that the bladers – so deep in connection with their weapons – winced, the temptation to give up almost unbearable. Sparks flew in such shower that it left tiny burn-marks all over the ground below.

Eventually, the duo decided that it was time to call in their beasts. Bryan clenched his fists. " FALBORG!"

Irina's eyes glowed ruby. " ORION!"

Even though he'd seen it for countless of times, Bryan still found himself mesmerised as the beast appeared. It was a unimaginably beautiful, big fox that in its fur held all the same colours as Irina's eyes; gold, silver and bronze had created a combination that seemed to be flaming. The entire beast seemed to be glowing with blue fire – the same that was trapped into its eyes that seemed to see everything.

But quickly, he fought away the daze, deciding that he'd have to put all his focus to the battle if he wanted even a slightest chance to win. " Falborg, ATTACK! Stroblitz!"

Seeing her chance arriving upon his rapid attack, Irina gave a haughty grin. " That, birdie, was a mistake." Her eyes shifted to the bit-beast as she roared a command. " Orion, Diamond Blizzard!"

As the blades (and beasts) collided, the burst of energy that followed was so furious that both bladers found themselves thrown to the ground. The blast of light that filled the whole garden was so bright it momentarily blinded them. Howls of the bit-beasts blocked their ears.

For several minutes, it seemed, time simply stopped. And then the light faded, along with all noise.

Rubbing their eyes to gain back so of their sight, they slowly forced themselves back up to see the outcome of their brawl. Soon, two grins could be seen. " A tie", Bryan declared, looking at the stopped blades.

Irina shook her head with mild amusement. " Just like the old times."

But despite her words, she could feel that something had changed. They both did.

Silently, they took their blades. Not giving Bryan a look, Irina turned around, once more beginning to walk away.

It was at that moment when Bryan realized that he'd have to do something. Before the chance would be lost. " You should know…" His voice faltered. " I'm not that kid anymore."

She turned to look at him, seeming mystified. " What kid?"

His eyes darkened with painful memories. " The one you always had to patch up after billions of battles and beatings. The one…" He trailed off.

She gave a small, crooked smile that held great sadness. " And I'm not that eight-year-old who always sat in that stupid swing waiting for you." With that, she walked away.

* * *

In a small, Russian road a motorcycle speeded towards a place that (judging by its size) could barely be described as a village.

Reaching the destination – a phone-booth that due to some odd twist of fate had been forgotten there – the driver pulled to a stop and pulled off the heavy helmet, allowing his gaze to rest on the beautiful landscape. The majestic cliffs, grass-fields and glimmering lakes seemed to spread to infinity and further. " I might hate this place", he murmured. " But I still gotta admit, it's beautiful here."

His companion, also taking off his helmet and running a hand through his hair, gave a chuckle. " I agree. But would you please make that phone-call already? The baby seems to be a bit overly excited about his first motorcycle-ride. Besides, I want to get to that cabin of yours in this decade."

Giving a faint smile, Kai started to walk towards the booth, his steps slightly unsteady. Although he would've never admitted it to Tyson, all that'd happened during the past forty-eight hours – the funeral, almost getting run over, fetching Tyson and running away – was wearing him down, especially when he still wasn't in exactly top-shape.

Shaking off those thoughts, he found himself dialling numbers. It didn't take long before he heard a familiar voice, tight and strained for all grieving and worrying. " _Yes?_"

" Tala, it's me."

He could almost picture the look of shock Tala got. " _Kai?_" Soon, the fright turned into relief-mixed anger. " _Do you have any idea of how panicked you got me with that message Oliver delivered! I… I thought… I thought you'd gotten yourself killed or something! That…_" The words faded.

He gave a sigh. " I'm sorry." He rubbed his temple a bit. " Look, I'm alright, and so is Tyson. We… We made it to Russia."

A shuttering sigh came from the other end. It took a long while before Tala went on. " _Kai… There's… something Oliver said._" Another pause, a hesitating one, followed. " _Is Tyson… pregnant?_"

Biting his lip, Kai ran a hand through his hair. " Yeah." It would've been pointless to try and lie. " That's… That's why Boris wanted him so badly. He's having a baby. Our baby."

For a moment, he was sure Tala had fainted as it became dead-silent. But eventually, came a small, wheeze-like voice. " _How… the hell is that possible?_"

His eyes moved, detecting Tyson who was rubbing his small bump, seeming anxious. " I'm sorry, but… That's a story for another time. I've gotta go; I just wanted to tell I'm okay."

" '_K then._" Just before he hung up, the other went on. " _Oh, just out of curiosity… Where the heck are you calling from?_"

" 'Found a phone-booth. Perhaps Boris won't be able to track this one down." He opened his mouth for a couple of times without a sound, not exactly sure of what to say. " Tell Irina and the others 'hi', will you? From the both of us."

" _I will. Just… Be careful, alright?_"

Once again, he found himself sneaking a glance to Tyson's way. " As much as I can." For a second, his eyes slipped closed. " I'll call you again as soon as I can."

" _You'll better hold on to that._" A short pause followed. " _Bye._"

" Bye."

For a brief moment, he stood there with his eyes closed. Then, waking from a whirr of thoughts, he put the phone away and walked back to the motorcycle. And so the run continued.

* * *

A long, heavy sigh of relief erupted through Tala's lips as the phone-call ended.

Kai was alright, as safe from harm as he could ever be when it was Boris they were talking about.

But still… something – a dark hunch, someone might say – lurked in the corner of his mind. It was like something was about to happen.

" Was it Kai? How are they?"

His head snapped up to Hilary's familiar voice. Despite himself, he smiled a bit at the spark in the girl's eyes. " Yeah. They're safe."

Tremendous relief – such he didn't think he'd ever seen before – was plastered to her face. " Thank goodness…" Giving him a glance, the girl suddenly extended a hand. " Now c'mon, wolfie."

He frowned. " Where exactly do you think you're taking me?"

" To bed", she announced simply. " I haven't seen you sleeping an eyeful for two days; it's 'bout time for you to get some rest."

He first opened his mouth – about to snarl out protests – but then gave in. Who knew, perhaps she was actually right – for just this once, that is. But that thought didn't stop him from making a growl as she pulled him up, dragging him with her.

Once they got to the bed, Tala was surprised to discover that Hilary was actually laying down right beside him. Feeling a warm leap in his chest, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, taking in the soft scent of apples she was emitting.

Maybe things were finally turning towards better for once…

" Aren't the teachers and your room-mates wondering if you're not there before the doors are locked?" he murmured, halfway to the dreamland.

" Are you serious? There are boys bouncing in our room with such speed that those two wouldn't have a clue. And as for the teachers… They wouldn't notice if someone dragged an elephant in."

A smile tugged his lips. " What if Daichi's here with that freakin' camera of his tomorrow?"

She laughed. " I think you successfully smothered all his ideas of playing a paparazzi the last time around. Besides, he's visiting his family for a week, remember?"

His eyes – too tired to resist the temptation – slipped closed. " Yeah… That's right…" Yawning, he shifted so that his head was nestled into Hilary's shoulder. " G'night, wildcat."

Even with eyes closed, he could picture her smile. " Good night." Her hand caressed his hair softly, lulling him even closer to the alluring slumber. " 'Love you."

With the last of his wits, he managed to whisper. " 'Love you too, kitty." And so he was out.

* * *

Irina had liked stars ever since she'd been just a kid. And although she couldn't remember pretty much a thing of her parents, she could picture vividly how she'd sat on a rooftop with her dad, studying the billions of stars twinkling in the sky. He'd taught her constellations, and she still knew every single one.

Taking a breath that carried longing and shifting her position on the bridge-railing, she squinted her eyes. And just like every time when stargazing, she wondered if her parents were somewhere out there, looking back at her.

It wasn't until then she realized she wasn't alone. Turning her gaze (feeling a bit annoyed for her peace being disturbed), she arched an eyebrow when seeing Zeo standing a small distance away, his gaze also cast to the stars.

She frowned a bit. Back when she'd first met him the day before… Well, he hadn't been exactly cheery or anything, and certainly not talkative. But now… Gosh, she'd never witnessed such desperation she now saw in his darkened eyes.

" Would you please stop staring?" His voice – quiet, all but angry – startled her. " It's… unnerving."

Looking away, she was even further frightened when feeling something she'd never felt before. _Am I… blushing?_ She grit her teeth. " Sorry."

For a moment, they sat in somewhat peaceful silence. Finally, Zeo broke the peace, still looking at the stars. " Have you ever wanted to catch one of those? Even just a tiny one?"

Surprising even herself, she gave a laughter. " As a kid, yeah." She then frowned, growing more solemn. " What do you think happened to that dream?"

Zeo's eyes grew even a bit darker than they had been. " We grew up, I suppose."

A small hint of sadness made its way to her chest. " It happened all too soon."

He gave a faint nod. " Yeah, it did." After another moment of silence, he started to leave. " I should go; Kenny and Akira said they'd call a search-party if I won't be home in an hour."

This time it was she who nodded, not looking at him. " 'K. I'll see you later."

" Yeah." So saying, he started to walk away, hands showed deep into his pockets. " Oh, and Irina? Thanks."  
She frowned again and looked at him, puzzled. " For what?"

But he walked away without giving an answer, leaving her staring at his distancing back, wondering…

* * *

" Aki, wake up."

Her eyelids twitched with extreme reluctance. " No", she managed to hiss, still half asleep.

" The movie's over – plus, it's getting late. I've gotta get going."

Giving a sound of deep dissatisfaction, she opened her eyes to find the TV-screen showing some crappy sitcom from 70's. " Damn", she murmured, to no avail trying to suppress a yawn. " Now I'll never know how it ended."

" We can watch it again", Kenny pointed out.

A bit more awake now, she investigated her situation. Suppressing another hiss was a bit hard when she found her head leaning against Kenny's shoulder. _Great…_ Quickly straightening her form, she rubbed her face with both hands, paying no heed to the fact that by doing so, she successfully smudged her makeup. " Where are Ray and Oliver?" As far as she knew, the two had been watching the movie with them when she dozed off, for once spending an evening outside the hospital.

" Sleeping – in separate beds, unfortunately." Stifling a yawn, he blinked. " 'Suppose we should be, too."

" Yeah…" For some reason, the idea of moving further from him… felt almost impossible. Squeezing together all her courage, she uttered a word that'd never been easy for her. " Thanks."

Again, he blinked, looking at her. " Huh?"

_Because since Aimi's death, this is the first night I haven't cried_, she thought. But said nothing. And the silence continued as they kept staring at each other, both holding their breaths.

Up until their dying days, neither knew which one of them moved first – perhaps they did it together. But to both their fright – or downright shock – their lips met in a chaste kiss that caused a full herd of butterflies to rise on their wings.

Dazed eyes widening, they pulled apart, feeling breathless. " Uh-oh…", was all Kenny could come up with.

Akira audibly snarled, furious with herself. " _That_…", she breathed out. " … is never going to happen again. _Capeesh_?"

Kenny nodded, seeming to be in some sort of a trance. " Yup."

And with that, they both leaned forward again.

* * *

Officer Kouchiva (who was once again working beyond overtime) had seen many weird things during his career. So much of those, that he'd thought nothing could possibly baffle – let alone shock – him.

When he opened the brown book (that seemed to be breathing out threat), he was proven wrong.

The text was in Russian, so he couldn't understand a single word. But he could comprehend the vivid pictures all too clearly.

A hellish, destructive tornado of fire, an amazing, gorgeous phoenix rising from it, with its eyes burning even brighter than the fire around it.

That same phoenix and a enchanting, stunning dragon wrapped tightly around each other. Together, the two beasts formed a circle that enclosed a ball that was a beam of white and black light – almost like a yin-yang –symbol. Just like in the former picture, flames flickered around the phoenix, whereas a storm-wind blew all around the dragon, giving fuel to the flames. Both beasts' eyes were filled something strange, almost like… affection.

Kouchiva's eyes widened when the pictures turned several shades darker. " What the…?" What the hell had he got himself into?

A huge, reddish black bird – another phoenix, no less – had been drawn rising towards a darkened sky, its head tilted for a majestic, triumphant cry he could almost hear.

He wanted to just throw the book away, lock it up and pretend he'd never seen it. But he couldn't; it was too late to turn back now. Whatever secret the book had entrapped was out now.

Finally, he was almost at the end of the book – and found himself gasping.

There, imprinted to the page, was a picture of a boy's face. His hair was somewhat long-grown – the plait disappeared to meander down his back – and his cheeks held shark-fins. But what captivated him was the eyes. Even though the picture held no colours, he could still see the flame flickering – or rather blazing – in them. Wild. Untameable. Even darker than the night-sky in one of the pictures before, so cold that it sent shivers down his back.

Suddenly – as he kept staring at the face with widened eyes, as though enchanted somehow – he realized that the boy was familiar. His eyebrows furrowed.

Where had he seen this kid?

It was on the tip of his tongue…

" Hey boss, you'll better come and check this out!"

Officer Meijing's voice woke him from the deep thoughts. Shaking his head to straighten it out, he struggled himself up, forcing his eyes off of the book. " Yeah, coming."

When he walked away, the blast of air caused moved the pages of the book, revealing the final page. There was a picture of a completely dark, fallen world. A figure could be seen standing on top of a pillar, eyes made of fire glowing. In his raised hand, the figure held a black blade that also seemed to be glowing. Actually, it seemed like all the darkness fallen was coming from it.

And on the bottom of the page, was a single word in Russian.

_Sud'ba_

'Destiny'.

* * *

**Three months later.**

* * *

It'd felt like eternity before baby-Tanjia had finally been okayed to go home. And, of course, as that finally happened, it caused a full riot – for a long time to come.

Glaring at the mob parked to her previously oh so empty couch, Akira formed a scowl. " Exactly for how long are those gonna be couching here? Seriously, I'm gonna start demanding rent soon!"

" Relax, Kira", purred Kenny (standing right beside her, so far from the others they couldn't hear). She almost jumped when his hand caressed her, and he stepped closer. " They'll get fed up soon enough. And then…" He left the rest lingering into air, causing her to smirk.

Oblivious to the secret lovers, the others – consisting of Ray and Oliver (naturally enough), Hilary, Tala, Bryan and Irina – were fussing around Tanjia (who was currently cradled into Ray's arms), who was giggling constantly and flapping her arms, exited about the undivided attention.

Irina couldn't keep herself from bursting into a laughter as she witnessed even Bryan and Tala cooing at the child. " The hell must be freezing over or something", she finally stated.

Bryan gave her a nasty look. " Oh, shut it. Like you wouldn't have been just as bad!"

" Can I hold her?" Oddly enough, the question came from Tala. Everybody's astonished gazes rapidly turned to the boy. " I'll be careful, I promise."

Giving Oliver a quick look (one asking for permission) and receiving a nod, Ray slowly handed Tanjia over to Tala. Fear was evident in his golden eyes. " Just… Be careful, please? Don't drop her or anything, or…"

" Ray, don't worry", Tala cut in, then gave a small gasp when sinking into the girl's huge eyes that held a shade of deep violet. Although he'd seen them for billions of times, they never ceased to amaze him. " Wow…"

Oliver grinned. " She's a beauty, isn't she?"

And that's what she truly was. It wasn't just her eyes. She already had a mop of pitch-black, soft hair, that were a strike contrast to her beautiful, ebony-white skin. She'd crush hearts, no doubt about it.

" Tala, are you sure you're holding her right?" This one was from Hilary, who was hovering right behind the redhead. " Why…?"

" Hilary!" Tala's temper just didn't stay in control anymore. Seeing his slightly reddened face, Tanjia giggled again, obviously finding his wounded expression hilarious. " Why can't anyone just believe that I actually know what I'm doing!"

Smiling as the couple's 'discussion' continued, Oliver and Ray subconsciously snuggled closer to each other on the couch. " We might be teenage parents who don't have a clue of what they're doing, but… We're lucky, aren't we?" Ray whispered.

Oliver's smile widened as he nodded. " Indeed." He then turned to look at Ray, a thoughtful look upon his face. " You know… Since she was born… You've changed. Grown up, I suppose."

Ray arched an eyebrow, hope fluttering in his chest. " Is it a good or a bad thing?"

Oliver simply smiled a bit more widely, not saying a word.

Just then, Ray's cell-phone rang, and – listing mental curses to whoever it was – he sauntered to a bit less crowded place.

As he was gone, Irina suddenly frowned. " Hey, where's Zeo?"

" I and Akira tried to persuade him into coming", Kenny stated, his voice carrying sadness. " But… he wouldn't come. He said he had something… important to do."

* * *

On a cliff where he and Aimi had shared their first kiss, Zeo watched as a small bonfire started to blaze.

After a couple of minutes, he decided the fire was strong enough. His heart ached sharply as he pulled out a letter – the last message Aimi had ever left for him, one which he'd never opened. His hands were trembling as the letter lingered just outside the flames' reach, debuting.

A couple of tears rolled to his cheek. " Aimi, I… Gosh, I'm so sorry", he choked out.

The tears fell even harder as the letter escaped from his hold, falling to the greedy flames. He squeezed his eyes tightly closed, unable to watch the fire destroying the last thing he had left of the one person he'd loved beyond anything.

" I'm sorry", he kept repeating, over and over again. " I'm sorry…"

He kept whispering those words for a long time after the fire had died out, and the precious memento was nothing but dust in wind.

* * *

Meanwhile in the balcony of his flat, Ray growled when finding it was Mariah calling him. " What is it?"

" _Ray, something's going on._" She sounded so frantic that his chest lurched. " _The village elders… They had… a meeting today._"

He trembled. " And…?"

" _I… I have no idea of what's going on – they wouldn't let any of us in. But… I think you should be careful._"

His eyebrows furrowed. " Why so?"

" _Ray… They aren't just going to swallow your affair with another boy – let alone a child with him. They… They're coming to set things right. Whatever it takes._"

* * *

The dream – or no, a nightmare – Tyson had that night was the same he'd persistently kept having for at least two months in a row.

But still, no matter how many times those images of Kai's death had filled his mind, he screamed when bouncing up in a bed, one hand moving to shield the unborn child. He didn't dare to open up his eyes, fearing that the nightmare would turn out to be reality.

" Tyson?" The bed moaned a tiny bit, and soon, a soft, gentle hand caressed his hair. " It's alright. It was just a dream."

The silken, comforting voice broke all the little barriers he'd had. Giving a childlike cry, he buried his face into soft fabric, clinging to Kai's warm body as though it been his single armour against all the horrors he'd just been in.

" Shh…" Kai pulled him closer, he could smell mint and winter. " Everything's alright…" Knowing exactly what he'd been dreaming about, the boy went on in a whisper. " We're both alright – me and the baby."

Slowly, he calmed down enough to think clearly. Opening his eyes a little, he discovered Kai still holding him, wearing a black dressing gown. He frowned, feeling a stab of guilt. " Did I wake you?"

He didn't know if he should've been relieved or worried when Kai shook his head. " I… woke up a while back, and heard you scream." Deciding that he'd calmed down enough, the boy smiled a bit and got up, heading towards kitchen. " I'll get you a glass of water."

Watching Kai's distancing back, Tyson couldn't help but smile as well. It'd been a long, hellish road, and there was still so much recovering to do that even the mere thought almost overwhelmed him. But Kai was getting back to his feet, leaving the monsters behind. And in the meantime, his own scars – left by Seiji – were recovering one by one.

Looking around in the small cabin they'd stayed in for the past months (hidden from the rest of the damn world), he once again wondered how Kai's parents had managed to find such an amazing place. Even though he'd seen many corners of the world, he'd never felt quite as much in home he did here.

Suddenly, his eyes stopped to a dusty framed pictured, carefully placed to the nightstand. The smile that'd been upon his lips widened. In the picture was Kai, about five years old. Gosh, he didn't think he'd ever seen anyone looking quite so innocent! The blue triangles that now marked Kai's whole being weren't there yet. The dazzling auburn eyes didn't hold the pain, shadow and bitter hatred they did now – laughter seemed to bubble in them.

He couldn't help feeling immense grief upon realizing that that child was now gone. Destroyed.

" You alright now?"

Kai's voice didn't frighten him, though he hadn't heard the boy coming. As he met the other's eyes, his heart wrenched. " Yeah. Just… thinking a bit."

Nodding (obviously not quite believing him) the boy walked closer and gave him the glass of ice-cold water. " Thanks", he murmured, feeling a wave of warmth when Kai sat close.

They remained quiet as he eagerly gulped the liquid down, still feeling flushed due to the horrible dream.

Enjoying the peaceful silence, Kai found himself lost in his thoughts.

For so many months, even years, he'd been struggling against his feelings for Tyson – fearing the threat he'd bring on the boy, feeling like he'd been betraying Wyatt. But now, feeling the bluenette's warmth…

" I never loved him, did I?"

Blinking owlishly, Tyson looked at him. " Huh?"

As Kai looked into those stormy orbs – ones that no longer belonged to a fourteen-year-old who'd ran away rather than faced his feelings – it finally hit him. He'd cared about Wyatt, deeply; but it'd never matched with this. No, nothing like this could ever come twice, whatever _this_ was.

Not bothering to respond Tyson, he leaned forward and caught the bluenette's lips into a firm, demanding hold, feeling like a spell had been broken. Into that one kiss, he shed everything; anger, guilt, remorse, betrayal, fear, passion.

At first, Tyson was too besieged by all that was thrown against him in a such a wild outburst to kiss back. But then, feeling the warm flood he always did when Kai's lips met his, he found himself responding. A soft moan escaped him as his body begged for more.

Kai chuckled huskily. " Needy tonight, are we?" He gave the other another kiss, unable to restrain himself. " But you know we can't – not before the little one's born." He grew a bit more solemn, caressing the other's face. " Besides, I don't want us to rush things again. This time around, we'll do this the right way."

Tyson pouted. " You're right. But that doesn't mean I'd have to like it."

He shook his head, smiling a little. " You're absolutely irresistible sometimes, you know?"

The other grinned shamelessly. " And proud of it."

With that, they laid down, Kai wrapping his arms around the smaller teen and pulling him close to his chest. The bluenette's soothing warmth made him feel groggy, and soon enough he found his eyelids drooping.

As his last coherent thought, he realized that never before had anyone's closeness felt anything like this.

A smile came to his lips as he buried his face into Tyson's shoulder, and the other emitted a content sigh, snuggling closer.

They were definitely on the right track now. For all three of them.

Just before falling asleep, he made a decision.

Come what may, this was a family he wouldn't lose.

* * *

Tala felt chills of disgust run through him as he walked through the police-station, constantly glaring at both sides.

Damn, how he hated these cursed places…

" Tala Valkov?"

He quickly looked the direction of a voice he'd formally heard only over phone. " Yes. I assume you have something to give me?" He didn't bother faking a polite tone.

Officer Kouchiva nodded. " Yes", the man confirmed, sounding so fervent that it successfully earned his suspicion. " We found something… well, weird from the house Boris and Seiji held Tyson. And…" The man frowned. " You can speak Russian, right?"

This time, he frowned. " Yes." He sure as hell didn't like the direction their talk was taking. " Why?"

The man scratched his head, carefully (yet unnoticeably) making sure they weren't listened to. " Well… One of my men found this… book, and… Well, I'm not exactly sure of what to do with it. It's probably just a bunch of baloney, but… I have to make sure." He sighed. " Problem is, the book's in Russian."

He lifted an eyebrow. " Why don't you call an interpreter?"

The man's eyes flashed. " Truth is… I don't know if I can trust anyone in the squad; only a couple of people knows about my suspicions concerning the book." The eyes turned harder than stone. " I afraid there's a mole among us. Three months ago, we found out that one of us warned Boris from our attack beforehand; that's why he and Seiji made it away."

Another set of chills ran through Tala. _Now this is great_, he thought sarcastically. _Kai and Tyson's safety lies in very capable hands…_ " Why didn't you call Bryan? He's the one you're people have been talking to more."

The man snorted. " I value me and my men's safety too much." The man then became serious again. " So, are you going to take a look at the book or not?"

_Why on earth am I doing this?_ He nodded. " Alright then."

He followed the man – but as soon as he saw the huge, brown-covered book, he froze, losing all breath. " Shit…" _This just can't be…_

The man looked at him, frowning. " What's wrong?"

Tala had never stuttered the way he did then, entire body shivering. " Can… Can I have… that book with me?"

Kouchiva seemed more than slightly apprehensive. " Why?"

" Just trust me, will you?" he snapped, eyes gleaming. " You have no idea of what you're dealing with."

Deciding that there was no reason to doubt his word, then man nodded and gave him the book. Just as he was about to go, the man spoke again. " Just tell me… How bad is this?"

He snorted, carrying on his steps. " You can't even imagine."

As soon as he was outside the police-station, he leaned his back against a wall, sucking in breaths to keep his mind from spinning. It took a long while before he was composed enough to fish out his cell-phone, let alone dial numbers. " Hey. I know it's late there, but…" He gulped thickly, not knowing how to carry on. " It's… The book actually exists – I… I'm holding it right now. And…" There was a pause as he took a shivering breath, giving a weak nod to no one. " Y – yeah… I… I think it's beginning."

* * *

In a darkened, Russian hotel room, Boris quickly picked up as his cell-phone snapped to life. " Yes?"

" _Boss,_ _I found them._"

His eyes gleamed. " Excellent. Send me the address; I'll be on my way shortly."  
" _Yes, sir._"

Hanging up, he turned towards Seiji, who was standing before a window, back to him. " It's time to go", he announced, an edge of sharpness and anxiety seeping in. " He found Tyson, Kai – and your son."

He could see Seiji's pose change as the boy stiffened. " Then, let's go and collect what's rightfully ours."

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Ungh… The two bastardos are on their way. And that damn book doesn't seem a slightest bit good. Damn.

But hey, let's think positively. Some couples are finding each other – and Tyson and Kai are actually together! And Kai finally realized it wasn't... well, real love he felt for Wyatt after all. (It's only two months to d-day, btw.)

I'm sorry I didn't write in any Max/Emily stuff into this chapter – this just got a mile too long even without them, and I wanted to focus on introducing Irina to you guys. I promise, you'll see them in the next chapter!

**The vote's still on!** Now that you've seen Irina with both of the potential 'more-than-friends', it might be a bit easier to cast a vote. So, feel free to let me hear your voice! And no pairing is still also an option, in case you're wondering.

'Suppose I've gotta go now! I'll be back as soon as I can, 'k? Please, stay tuned then!

And **PLEASE** review! I know you just loooooove that little button below. So… feel free to click it, ya? (grins)

Bye, folks! 'Hope I'll see you around!


	15. Fate

A/N: Happy valentine's, everyone! Gosh, the new chapter is actually done! (wipes forehead) I must confess, it was quite struggle to get this one dug out, but hey, here it is! 

Buuuut, before letting you off the hook…

From the deepest… depths (okay, now that sounds… weird) of my soul, thank you for those astonishing reviews! (wants to send some thank-you valentine's chocolate, but then sits down and cries with frustration when realizing there's no clue of your addresses) You can't even imagine how unsure I've been with writing this at times, but you've always managed to give me the push to go on. There's no way I could ever repay you for that!

(sweatdrops) Oooookay, before I get all sappy, let's just get on, yeah? I hope this chapter didn't turn out too crappy.

* * *

**Chapter fourteen: Fate**

Sitting in a fancy American restaurant, Max's hands were shivering violently as he frantically kept dialing numbers from his cell-phone, begging for there to be an answer.

A mutter escaped him when all he once again got was the sound of answering machine. " Where the hell is everybody when you'd need them most?" But along with frustration, he couldn't help feeling a heavy nudge of worry. A lot – too damn much – had been going on lately, and he'd barely had time to speak to the others since he and Emily had been reunited. (Explaining his little getaway to everyone – teachers, and not to mention his mother – and catching up with schoolwork had successfully claimed all his time, along with trying to sort thing out with Emily.) What… What if something was wrong – again?

Sounds of approaching steps, however, washed away those thoughts. Feeling all colour escape from his face as panic begun to speed through his veins, he lifted his head, feeling like a lamb that was about to be butchered.

This wouldn't be pretty…

All too nearby, Emily approached with a fed up look upon her face. But what unnerved Max was her father, who was walking right behind her with a sulking, moody expression. " I don't understand why you had to drag us here", the man grunt out. " We were both perfectly happy with a mile or two separating us."

Emily rolled her eyes and clenched teeth, seeming just about ready to blow off. " Dad, if you won't behave now, I won't hesitate carrying out the threat I gave in the car. Got that?"

A mutter escaped the man, finally coming out as " Fine".

**¨**

Jack York had to pause making a mental list of all the places he would've rather been at the moment, as his gaze fell to the clearly scared, yet hopeful blue eyes of the boy nervously getting up before him. " H – hi, Mr. York. Emily."

_Still not over the stammering_, he noted. But still, he couldn't help blinking a little with surprise.

He'd been a businessman for quite a number of years. During that time, he'd been challenged by several colleagues, who'd wanted to skin him from his money. Yet he'd managed to… should we say, startle them all during business-negotiations badly enough to make them realize their mistake. None of them had dared to face him again. And the treatment he'd given Max… well, it'd been at least hundreds of times worse. But still, the boy was there, right before him and off for another round.

He couldn't help respecting such courage – especially when it was shown for her daughter.

" I think we can skip the prating part, wouldn't you say?" he finally spoke out, deciding to cut the crap. " I only came here, because I have a very important question for you. And I want you to think carefully before replaying. Alright?"

As the boy gulped, paling even further, Jack almost felt sorry for him. Almost. " 'K."

" Do you love my daughter?"

**¨**

The question took Max so off guard, that for a full minute he was unable to emit even a merest wheeze. Eventually – still feeling breathless – he gave a faint nod. " Y – yes, Mr. York. I…" Up until that point, he'd felt more terrified than ever in his life. But when his gaze met Emily's shocked, hope-filled one, all uncertainty vanished into thin air. " I really believe I do."

" If I'd tell you to never even lay your eyes on her like that again, would you keep seeing her?"

Taken aback once more, he blinked, fixing his gaze back to the man. But even when he met the eyes that'd before been haunting his nightmares, the fear refused to return. Instead, he gave a small smile, along with a firm, determined nod. " Yeah. I would."

To his shock, the man actually returned the smile, though with just a ghost of one. " Then, what's there left to discuss?"

Max could feel a flush forming to his face, and was powerless to keep his smile from widening. " Nothing, I guess."

" Very well then." To the teens' surprise, the man started to leave. " You can order already. I'll be back in a minute; there's one phone-call I just remembered I have to make."

As soon as they were left alone, Emily stunned Max by suddenly jumping forward and wrapping her arms tightly around him, closing him into a hug. Even though they'd been together for quite a while, the girl had never dared to show her emotions like this before. " Thank you", she whispered, voice shuttering with movement. " Gosh, do you have any idea of how proud I am of you?"

He grinned sheepishly, stroking her soft hair. " Oh, that? Nah, it was nothing." Though he had to admit, his pulse was still way up on the high side. For a long moment they just held each other in silence, until curiosity took the best of him. " Just one question… You mentioned you'd been threatening your dad… With what?"

A chuckle came from Emily. " Remember when you dyed your hair neon-green, after losing that idiotic bet?" He nodded, shuttering at the memory. " Imagine something thousand times worse."

**¨**

From quite nearby, Jack watched as the couple held each other, how Max gave a laughter, then buried his hair into Emily's hair, whispering something that made her tighten her hold on him.

Slowly, a smile came to his face.

_He finally understood._

With that, he turned around and started to walk away, deciding to leave the couple alone. On his way out, he gave a waiter a note and quite a amount of money. " Would you please give this message to them? And this money should cower their dinner."

Baffled, the waiter blinked, then nodded with a huge grin, knowing that he'd just received a tip of a lifetime. " I will, sir. Goodnight."

" 'Night." So saying, Jack was out.

* * *

Oliver knew to fear something being wrong when instead of Tanjia's cry, he woke up to a sound of zipper. Quickly fluttering his eyes open, he felt his heart shrinking when finding Ray packing up a bag, back to him. " What the hell are you doing?"

Hearing his voice, the neko-jin tensed all over. He could've sworn he saw a shiver. " I… didn't mean to wake you up." The voice was quiet, oddly deep and rough.

" I can see that", he hissed out, getting up into sitting position. It took a long moment before rage gave room for words. " Geez, Ray… I should've known better than to trust on you staying." Not sure which one of them he was more furious at, he ran a trembling hand through his hair, gulping down threatening tears. " I can't believe I let you fool me again."

When Ray turned to look at him, he couldn't help gasping when seeing the pain and grief in the golden orbs. Tears were rolling down the boy's pale cheeks. " And I can't believe you!" The voice was much more wounded than angry, slashed deep. " Do you honestly think that I could just bag my stuff and leave you and Tanjia, walk away like you two never existed?" Visibly swallowing down tears, the neko-jin shook his head, looking away. " Screw you, Oliver."

Feeling like crying himself, he walked up to taller teen and dropped to his knees before him. One of his hands graphed Ray's trembling one, squeezing tightly, desperately. " Ray, please!" he cried out as loud as he could without Tanjia, who was sound asleep in her tiny bed. " I… I need to know! Please! If… If there's something wrong – something that concerns us three…" He gave a sniff while trapping Ray's face between his hands, forcing the boy into looking at him. His own, tightly locked back tears broke free when he saw Ray's. " You're the father of my child, damnit! I'm not going to lose you, you hear me? I deserve to know!"

Ray's eyes squeezed tightly shut as the neko-jin's shivering deteriorated wildly. " Ollie, I… I'm sorry…" The boy shook his head violently.

Feeling wrath starting to take over, Oliver felt his chest heaving. " If you don't tell me, I'll never forgive you", he spat out.

Somewhat startled, Ray opened his eyes and looked at him, gaze obviously looking for any sign to indicate he hadn't been serious. When unable to find such, the boy sighed with utter defeat, looking away. It took quite a while before there was a whisper. " The village elders… They want me back to China, Oliver. Otherwise… Otherwise they won't hesitate taking… desperate measures."

At first, Oliver frowned, not quite understanding. Then, as the truth sunk in, his eyes widened. " Oh gosh…"

Ray sniffed. " I need to go there. It's… It's the only chance, to make them understand. To… make them leave you alone; you and Tanjia."

For a long moment, Oliver's head was spinning so badly with shock that he couldn't even think properly. Then, so suddenly that it took him by surprise, determination hit like a thunderbolt. " No, Ray. You're not going." His voice left no room for arguments. " We all are. As a family."

Seeming close to terrified, Ray looked straight at him. " No chance! Whatever happens, I'll _never_ take you two there! You don't know…!"

" Ray", he cut in, voice one of a beast protecting its family. " I… I hate this, too, but… It's the only way. When they see us three, Tanjia…" He looked at his sleeping daughter, and couldn't help smiling a little. " They'll understand. They'll have to."

Ray seemed far from convinced. " What if they won't?"

The smile made room to a look of sheer determination. " Then… we'll find a way, any way, out of this. Together." Purple eyes flaming, he looked into Ray's amber ones. " Swear to me you won't do anything alone, alright? Whatever happens, come what may… We'll walk through it together. Got that?"

At first, the neko-jin was too baffled to react. Then, a small smile came to his face. " I promise."

Caught by the moment, the two that hadn't called each other lovers for a long time wrapped their arms around each other, shielding one another.

Burying his face into Oliver's shoulder, Ray grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, deciding that there was no way he'd let go. Not ever again. Whatever it would take.

* * *

Deciding that she deserved a reason to why Tala had been ignoring her phone-calls for most of the day, Hilary marched towards the redhead's dorm-room. Already almost there, she suddenly froze and frowned when discovering that she wasn't the only one coming to see him. " …what?…"

Talking to Tala (who'd just opened the door) in Russian were Bryan and Irina. Her frown deepened when she saw the tight, anxious looks upon the trio's face.

_What the heck's going on?_

She was still debuting whether she should interfere or not, when Tala's eyes suddenly moved and the boy spotted her. Blue eyes flashed with something close to fear. " Hilary? What… are you doing here?"

_Damn… Busted…_ Her face, however, turned stone-hard. " I came to see what's up with you turning down my phone-calls. And it seems my suspicions were correct." The frown she'd had turned deeper still. " Tala, what the hell is going on here?"

Tala's eyes squinted, and the boy looked away. " I'm not going to get you involved to this."

She growled. " Well, too bad, Valkov, because I have no intention _not_ to butt in." She folded her arms, a dangerous, challenging look in her eyes. " So basically, wolfie, you've got two options; either you let me in, or I'll make a scene right here and call in everyone else." Her eyebrow arched, and she lifted her chin. " So, how's it gonna be?"

Irina and Bryan had hard time stifling grins when they watched Tala's expression turning from one of annoyance and determination to defeat. " Fine", the redhead barked out. " But remember that I warned you to stay out."

Hilary rolled her eyes. " I'm a big girl, Tala. I know how to take care of myself."

Muttering under his breath, Tala let the other three in before entering himself. " Well, if you really want to know what's up…" Carefully – feeling like the thing had burned his fingers – he lifted the all too familiar, brown-covered book from a table. " _This_ is going on."

Hilary snorted with disbelief. " A book?" She shook her head. " Do you think I'm…?"

The look in Tala's eyes effectively silenced her. " Hilary, there's much more than just a book."

* * *

Kai's eyes were closed as he sat on a small balcony of the cabin he and Tyson were still staying in. The words Tala had said in a phone-call a couple of hours earlier kept hammering his head.

" _It's… The book actually exists. I… I think it's beginning."_

He balled his fists.

_What am I going to do?_

' _I think you should tell Tyson, Master. He needs to know._'

He grit his teeth. ' _Dranzer, I… I know, but… I can't. I won't get him into his._'

' _He's already in this – after all, he's the one carrying the child._'

His head fell. ' _Yes… He is…_'

' _Telling him is the only way to protect him, Master – both of them. If you want to keep the prophecy from happening… you'll need his help._'

" So…" Tyson's voice came so suddenly that it startled him. " Are you gonna tell me why that phone-call freaked you out, or do I have to dig it out?"

Eyes narrowing and darkening, he called back his blade (that'd been spinning in front of him), not meeting the bluenette's gaze. He was silent for a long, heavy minute, until the words started dripping out. " Ever since I got into the Abbey… I've been hearing this… story. Tale of a great Destroyer, who'll make the whole world fall to its knees. Hold power no other human could ever even imagine." He lifted his gaze towards the darkened sky. " Voltaire… seemed to believe in that prophecy; it was like a religion to him. And I was forced to play along, for all my childhood and beyond." _Played a part I never belonged to in the first place…_

For a long moment Tyson was silent, then spoke in a confused tone. " Why are you telling me this? I mean… It was just a myth and nothing more, right?"

" Tyson…" Ache squeezed Kai's chest. He still didn't bear to meet the bluenette's eyes. " I afraid… it's not quite that simple."

He could clearly picture the look of utter confusion upon the younger teen's face. " What the heck are you talking about?"

* * *

Hilary eyes were widened to a size that can't be described human as she stared at the all too familiar face on the book's page. The eyes that were one's of stranger's, although she'd looked into them for millions of times. " Oh… my God…"

Irina moved the book, and eyed on the piece of text. " A Destroyer. Demolisher of all he ever touches." The voice didn't sound like hers. " The one who has the fate of everything on the palm of his hand. And once he chooses the black phoenix's power, his destiny… everything will fall."

Hilary shook her head, feeling like she'd been in a worst nightmare. " But… No…" She shook her head again. " Kai… He isn't going to choose Black Dranzer, not after everything… He wouldn't…"

" Hilary…" Tala's voice sounded hoarse. " It's… It's not about Kai anymore."

She frowned, looking at the boy. " Then… Who?" Just then, it all made sense to her. Why Boris had wanted the child… Why Kai had taken Tyson to Russia… Her eyes widened again. " Can't be…"

" This is the legacy – or no, a curse – of the Hiwatari-family." Bryan's eyes were filled with sadness. " Up until he gave up on Black Dranzer… Kai was on his way towards this. As was his father before him. They both strayed." The boy gulped, looking at the picture with strange, unfamiliar eyes. " And… If a father goes astray from the path… the heritage moves to his son."

* * *

A breath of pain came from Tyson's direction, followed by a thud as the boy collapsed into a sitting position. " No…"

A tear meandered down Kai's cheek. " I… I won't let our son walk through that road, Tyson. I… I won't make him pay for the seeds of Voltaire's insanity."

Was that a sniff? " But… What can we do?" Gosh, Tyson's voice had never been that broken, defeated. Bitter. " It's… destiny."

" No." For a first time, he turned his head to look straight into the teary midnight-blue orbs. " Back when I first met you… I realized something. There's no such fate that can't be changed." A small hint of a smile came to his lips as he looked at the sky again. " You were strong enough to rip even me off of that path, remember?" _Even Wyatt couldn't have saved me from that road, no matter how hard he tried_, he mentally added, then blinked away tears and grit his teeth together. " You never gave up. That's why I didn't become what Voltaire expected of me, Tyson. That's why I rose up and defied it all." His gaze drifted back to Tyson, who's eyes were already dry. " I'm more than sure you can do it again, dragon."

The other shook his head. " No, not me. But us. Together."

Despite the weight that ripped his heart, Kai pushed another smile. " Yeah", he whispered hoarsely. " Together."

As Tyson came closer and snuggled as close to him as possible, all he could do was wrap his arms around the smaller teen and hold on. He bit his lip when feeling the baby – their son – give a determined kick.

The tender moment was cut short when there was suddenly a loud rumble of stomach. It took a while for Kai to realize the voice was coming from him.

Tyson gave an annoyed sigh. " You make me eat for two – for the baby's sake, you say. And what do you do?" The boy looked at him accusingly. " You skipped dinner again, didn't you?"

Cursing Tyson for the slight rosy tint that rose to his still alarmingly pale cheeks, Kai looked down. _Damn you and your eyes, Tyson._

The bluenette gave a sigh of irritation. " For how long is it gonna take to convince you to take care of yourself?" Softly, the boy took his hand. " Now c'mon, let's get you something to eat – for my sake, if nobody else's. Tala's gonna strangle me if you're that thin when we get back to Japan." It didn't take expert's ears to detect the immense worry in the younger teen's tone.

Despite himself, Kai felt smile tugging the corners of his lips as he took the bluenette's hand, pushing himself up. It was obvious that the boy was determinedly trying to push aside the new-found knowledge of the prophecy, concentrating on something he could handle. " You can be so determined it's annoying, you know?"

Tyson grinned. " So can you." The smaller teen squeezed his hand. " But that's a part of the reason why I love you."

Kai could hear the tentativeness in the other's tone, and couldn't help feeling at least a bit guilty. It'd been months, heck, Tyson was even carrying his child, but still couldn't be sure of his feelings. Not looking at the Japanese, he returned to squeeze. " I could say the same thing."

He didn't even have to look to see the wide smile that spread all over Tyson's face. The thought made him grin as well, despite the heavy, dark lump in pressing his chest.

Because in the back of his mind… he knew that even though Tyson now knew almost everything, they were far from clear waters. For as long as Boris and Seiji were alive, they wouldn't give up. Not until the dark fate would be broken.

And that's what he'd do. Whatever the price.

* * *

A lot of time had passed from all the secrets being spilled out as shivering Hilary sat on Tala's bed, widened eyes gazing at the pages she was skimming through. Each new picture – accompanied by a short, ominous piece of text she thankfully couldn't understand – caused the feeling of nausea in her stomach grow. " This… This isn't right."

" I know", whispered Tala, who was sitting right next to her, his face considerably paler than usually.

Long, heavy silence lingered over them for a long time, before Hilary suddenly gasped, realizing something. She quickly turned to look at the redhead. " Tala, does Kai know about this? Has he seen this book?"

The boy snorted with distaste. " Are you kidding? Ever since Kai was dragged into the Abbey, that damn book became his whole life. Voltaire and Boris… Those freaks trained him mercilessly, didn't let him forget about his so called 'fate' for another second. If he ever questioned them… we could see his bruises for weeks to come." The boy shook his head. " He was never allowed to really communicate with us – we weren't approved to be nothing but practise-tools for him. And all he knew of himself and his future, his purpose in this world…" He glanced at the book with hateful, icy eyes. " … was in there."

Those words sinking in, Hilary felt even more nauseous than before. It was all making sense now; why Kai had first been so cold towards them, so poor with showing his emotions… How he'd became so scarily determined to win and succeed, almost like he hadn't given a damn about his life; why should he have, when his life had never truly been his? Who would've wanted to live thinking all in store for him was destruction and death?

Her eyes flashed with rage and disgust. " They… They did that – to a child?"

Again Tala nodded, gulping. She saw his eyes shine abnormally. " He's… never spoken about it too much. And to be honest… I don't think that's even the worst."

Unable to speak due to her fury, she satisfied to give a stiff nod, concentrating on the cursed book again. Suddenly discovering something, she frowned, feeling chills run through her whole being. " Tala… There's a page missing."

Frowning as well – the look in his eyes just about radiating what was going through her mind – he took the book. " What?" True enough, the remnants of torn paper clearly showed something had been taken. If possible, his face fell even paler than before. " Fuck…"

Seeing the look, Hilary felt her own doubts and fear grow. " Do you think Voltaire or Boris…?"

The boy interrupted her with a sombre, determined shake of head. " No. Those two – ever though they're maniacs and monsters… They would've never harmed this book, and would've slaughtered anyone caught trying."

Hilary wrapped her arms tightly around herself. " Then… Who?"

Staring at something in distance, Tala clenched his jaw. " Kai", he almost whispered. " He's the only one who could've."

Hilary's former frown was replaced by a far deeper one. She gulped, a sore taste in her mouth. " Why would he have done that? I just don't understand…" Pieces clicked, and she shuttered. " What… What was he trying to hide?"

Tala didn't answer.

**¨**

Sitting on a bench just outside the building (having decided she desperately needed fresh air), Irina woke from her thoughts with a start when her cell-phone snapped to life. She gave a faint scowl when discovering it was Mr. D again; the man had tried to call her about twenty times during the past hour. Sighing, she put the phone away.

" You really should talk to him, you know?" Bryan's voice took her by surprise. Peering over her shoulder, she found the boy walking towards her, hands showed into his pockets. " You're tearing you both apart."

Sensing a bubbling of annoyance, she looked away. " For your information, I've already had a discussion with him after the… incident. But…" She hung her head, somewhere between pain, guilt and shame. " It's gonna take more time for the scars to heal."

Bryan nodded, understanding. After all she'd been through… It was excruciatingly hard for Irina to trust anyone. But still… She'd found the old-timer trustworthy. And he'd betrayed that trust by hiding something so very important. Irina might've forgiven, but she sure as hell wouldn't forget as easily. " I know. But they will eventually." There was a small silence, during which he spotted the shadows dancing in the girl's strained eyes. Apparently, it wasn't just Mr. D that was bugging her… " Look, Kai… He'll be alright, I'm sure. All three of them will. Those two bastards will never get a chance to lay their filthy hands on them."

She gave a sigh, brushing her hair with one hand. " Gosh Bryan, I really hope you're right. Because…" She bit her lip. " I've seen the premonition – all of it. And… If Boris' path ever crosses Kai's…" She shook her head, biting her lip even harder. " I don't think it could have a pretty ending."

* * *

Only a mere walking distance away from Tyson and Kai's cabin, staying in a house of Boris' 'associate', Seiji felt his blood boiling as he phased around a small room, like a tiger in a cage. " I don't mean to question your judgement, but… Why the heck aren't we going to get Tyson and my baby already? I can't stand sitting around doing nothing anymore!"

" Patience, my son, is something you must have a lot of practise with." Putting away the book he'd been reading, Boris gaped at him with the eyes that held no emotions. " We'll get the child soon enough, don't worry. But right now… The best we can do is wait for the right time to come."

Frustration made Seiji's eyes flash red. " What?" The boy then shook his head, balling fists. " No. I won't wait, not for another second! I've been living away from my child for months! I won't do so for another second!"

Sighing heavily, Boris had to use all he had not to lose his nerves. But his voice still screeched as he spoke. " Seiji, if you want your son to make it, he'll have to stay with Tyson for the two remaining months – no matter how little you like the idea. If we'll go and get Tyson now… there's a high chance the baby won't endure the ordeal. Is that what you want?"

Seiji's eyes still burned, and for a while the boy seemed fully ready to blow back at him. But then, folding his arms, the teen looked away, gritting his teeth. " Alright", the boy snarled out, squinting his eyes.

Boris gave a nod of acceptance. " Good. I'm glad we had this matter discussed. Now… Would you please let me finish with this book?" No reply came, and – fully satisfied – he continued reading, allowing his thoughts to wander off in the meantime.

He could only wonder how Seiji would react when finding out the baby wasn't his – that he could've never conceived the child of the prediction. After all, only a Hiwatari was suitable for that.

A chilling smirk came to his lips.

Perhaps Kai had turned his back on his fate, as had his father. But this time… Boris was fully prepared to do all he possibly could to make sure that the mistake wouldn't happen thrice.

Even if it meant getting head to head with Kai – and destroying the boy.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: So that's the destiny, huh? Fall of the world. And everything lays pretty much on Kai and Tyson's shoulders. (sniff) Poor Kai! Imagine what kind of a life that's been, thinking you're meant to no more than vaporizing all you touch! (sniff, sniff)

But uuuuh… There's only three chapters left, and at this point, it's rather clear there'll be a showdown between Kai and Tyson plus Boris and Seiji. How will it turn out? And does Kai already know something about it he won't reveal? And what about Ray and Oliver – what'll the elders do to them?

Ungh, I've been sitting in front of my damn computer for so long my eyes are getting puffy, so I'll better get going for now! But until I choose to turn out again (which, hopefully, will be soon)… **PLEASE**, SEND ME A REVIEW! (gives the biggest, cutest puppy-dog eyes you've ever seen) You know it means a world to me! (And don't hesitate to ask, suggest, etc. etc… Feel free to speak out!)

See ya, fellows! I seriously hope you'll all be there next time!

Adios!


	16. Beginning of the end

A/N: Damn, it's good to have another chapter done! (jumps around) I'm sorry, I know this update came a bit later than usually! It was just a damn hard job to get my thoughts picked up and figure out what I wanted to write in. But eh… Better late than never, ne? 

Annyways, before getting to the business…

Yet again, thank you from the furthest corners of my heart for your comments – only those helped me get this chapter written! I'd hug you all now if I could!

(My GOSH, I'm way beyond overjoyed you like my writing-style – AND the last chapter!

And I'm relieved you also liked those a bit fluffy lil' scenes I put up – I wasn't quite sure if I should put them on at all.

Uuuuh, what it is that Kai knows… Actually, you'll be seeing the missing page at the beginning of this chapter. AND the rest will be revealed a bit later… (grins) )

But now, FINALLY, on with the show! Even though I added quite a bit of stuff (including Zeo – I've personally missed him), I hope this didn't fall apart completely!

* * *

**Chapter fifteen: Beginning of the end**

* * *

**Two months later.**

* * *

/ _Wyatt gave an exasperated sigh, glaring at the book before him. " I swear that I'll die of boredom before ever understanding arithmetic's", he moaned._

" _Hn", commented Kai, who was sitting on a bed nearby, studying what was either Chinese or Arabic's._

" _It's easy for you to 'hn'", he complained, taking all his frustration on the taller teen. " You didn't get a lecture from Mr. Solizah, plus fifty extra tasks!"_

_Kai rolled his eyes, muttering something in the language he was studying. " That's because I actually remembered to do the tasks he assigned to us yesterday." The boy then went back to his book. " You can use my notes if you want to, they're in the drawer."_

_Wyatt immediately smiled widely. " Thanks!"_

_It was then Kai remembered what was also in the drawer. Eyes widening with terror, he opened his mouth to stop Wyatt, but was helplessly too late. He gulped thickly as the boy pulled out a paper, frowning._

_Crap…_

_Wyatt couldn't understand what he was looking at. The paper – probably ancient, as it was already rather yellow – had probably been ripped off from a book, and held some writing in Russian. But what somehow chilled him was the picture. It represented a mighty phoenix that had a devastated, pained look in its eyes, obviously giving a cry that was its last. Below the bird stood a dual-haired boy with his arms spread out and head fallen lifelessly, blood pouring from multiple wounds. It was obvious that he wouldn't stand tall for long, either. And that boy… seemed far too familiar._

_His eyes were widened with terror as he they met Kai's. " Is… this you?" Not receiving any response, he gulped laboriously. " What is this?"_

_Not finding his voice for even a merest of words, Kai simply shook his head, then bounced up and headed towards the door. But to his stun, Wyatt was faster._

_The brunette's eyes blazed as the boy took a stand before him, arms spread. " You're not going anywhere just yet, Hiwatari", the boy announced sharply, some fear in his tone. " Not until you tell me what the hell this is all about."_

_At first, he was about to snarl something far from pleasant to the poor boy. But in the end, he emitted as sigh of defeat. Bangs shielded his closed eyes as his head fell. " It's… about a prophecy…"_ /

* * *

Truth to be told, Dr. Annika Belushka had never been as stunned as she was when staring at the picture ultra-scan sent her; nothing even close to this had ever crossed her path. But she still managed to create a soft smile as she looked at two young men with her. " I… I still can't believe this is for real, but…", she uttered in Russian, then showed them the screen. The baby was moving around and kicking wildly. " As you can see, the baby is a very, very active one."

The blue-haired teen (despite the icy gel on his huge belly) grinned widely, before speaking in slightly wobbly, thickly accented Russian. " Yeah… I can feel it."

Despite the tears of joy that rimmed his eyes, the other male – dual-haired, a bit taller one – frowned when looking at her. His Russian was completely fluent, and carried a hint of an accent she couldn't recognize. " What about the childbirth?" The voice was tense, so filled with worry that it amazed her. " Is caesarean the only option, or…?" He trailed off.

She gave yet another smile. " According to all tests and examinations, a surgery won't be required." The smile faded as she shook her head, eyes flaming with fury towards whoever had done this to the poor kid. As much joy as this baby would bring… The boy shouldn't have been forced to go through something like this, especially since he was only sixteen. Neither of them should've. " Whoever did this… I must say, planned everything carefully. The baby will come out naturally, and as far as I can see, no problems should be expected. Your fiancé's been… changed enough to be able to go through this."

The smaller teen gave a deep frown, obviously not understanding quite everything she was saying. Seeming overwhelmingly relieved, the taller one whispered a translation in English, all the while holding the other's hand.

She just couldn't keep herself from smiling, despite the still whirling shock. During her career, countless of couples had came to her to find out if their precious child was alright. But never before had she seen another one quite like this. " I would suggest you to take it easy from now on", she stated, making some notes to her papers. " The baby might be born any day now."

The smaller teen huffed, with his partner's aid struggling into a sitting position. " And not a day too soon!" Sighing, he rubbed his belly. " I'm sorry, little one, but lately… You've become a bit too big for daddy to carry you around."

Shortly after – having received a huge set of instructions and warnings – the couple prepared to leave. Just before they were out, Annika found that she just couldn't control her urge to ask any longer. " Vladimir, Nikita, wait a second!" Frowning, she looked straight into the taller one's – whom she knew as Nikita – flaming, burgundy eyes, feeling a tremble. " Have I… Do you think there's a chance I've… seen you before, somewhere?"

Slowly, the boy shook his head, those strange eyes growing darker. " No. I don't think so." Then, the boy pushed a small, polite ghost of a smile. " We'll see you later."

Feeling a bit dumbfounded, head still buzzing with thoughts, she gave a weak nod. " Yeah… Bye." And the two were gone before another coherent thought came.

**¨**

Finally out of the small clinic, Tyson gave a huge sigh of relief, only then realizing that he hadn't been breathing for past couple of minutes. " Damn it was close! I was sure she'd recognize us!" He gave a small laughter. " Who would've thought I'd actually be happy about the fact that beyblading isn't known in every corner of the world."

Kai nodded, seeming to relax a little. " Yeah… Looks like we're safe." _For now._

Reaching their motorcycle, Tyson gladly allowed hormones to take control and wrapped his arms around Kai's still painfully petite waist, demanding attention. Taking the hint, the other pulled him close. He gave a content sigh, burying his face into Kai's warm chest. " I know how dangerous it was to come here, that we could've been recognized. But…" Releasing his other hand from Kai, he gently rubbed his belly. " After everything… I had to make sure he's okay."

A kiss was planted to his hair. " I know. And truthfully… I needed to know, too", Kai whispered, also stroking the belly with tenderness only a parent could offer. " He's our miracle, no matter what some lousy prophecy says."

Tyson nodded firmly. " Yeah. And no matter what, we'll keep him safe from those two creeps."

As they put on their helmets and soon after left, they had no idea of the figure observing their moves.

Blood-coloured eyes flashed with something dark and primal, fists balled.

_Soon, I'll be having what's mine. And no one's going to stop me – not even my father._

By the time Tyson peered over his shoulder with a frown – feeling that he was being watched – the observer was gone.

* * *

Ray's eyes were closed as he stood in the middle of a thick Chinese forest, every single cell in his body twitching with concentration.

His eyelids twitched as leaves gave a soft whisper somewhere behind him. His other hand moved down on his dark-blue tunic.

_Wait…_

Another soft whisper. He could smell iron as a sharp sword was pulled out. Finding what it'd been looking for, his hand squeezed around a cold, metallic handle.

_Soon…_

His eyes snapped open when there was one more sigh of steps, from right behind him. Faster than a blink, he pulled out his own weapon. Loud screeches of protest came when steel met steel. Softly whirling around – never allowing his weapon to break contact with the other – he met a pair of amber eyes. " Impressive", the man opposing him – who looked remarkably lot like him – admitted. Slowly, they both put away their weapons.

He gave a stiff bow. " Thank you, uncle." Although his tone was rather indifferent, his chest gave a heavy shutter of fear. It had taken him two months to build up enough of courage for this encounter; but was he really ready?

For a longest moment, it was completely silent while to man looked at him. He couldn't help feeling a stab of ache when seeing all the disappointment, almost disgust, in the man's eyes boring into his. " It has come to our knowledge that you have chosen to break some of our village's most important codes of honour", the man finally spoke, voice hard and cold. " Are they true?"

He nodded, eyes burning. If his uncle already hated him this much… what reason did he have to lie? " Yes, uncle. They are."

Before he managed to blink his eyes, the man's fist moved. He gave a tiny hiss of pain when it met his cheek with a steely power, sending him to the hard ground. " I spent all my life trying to train you into the ninja your father wanted you to be! And _this_ is what I get as a reward – a faggot! A freak who knocked another up!"

At that point – hearing those words that slashed deeper than any sword – Ray felt his insides seething with fury. Growling, he spat out blood, then slowly got up and glared at the man. " I know how stuck-up you and the other freakin' elders are…", he hissed, squinting his eyes. " … but there's no way in hell you'll get me into hating myself, or the ones I love!"

The man shuttered a little, a hazardous look appearing into his eyes. " The other elders told me to simply get you disowned, banished. But I'm more merciful – despite those insults." He took a step closer. " Come to the village with me, Ray. We'll tell them the rumours were all lies, and I'll help you overcome that… disease of yours. I'll make you normal again. Just like your father would've wanted."

If he'd been pissed off before, those words sent Ray off the edge. He'd never been bellowing the way he did then, tears rimming his eyes. " My father would've never wanted me to pretend being something I'm not! None of those who truly care about me would!" His whole body shivered, fists clenched. " I… I only ever wanted your acceptance, uncle! That's why I came!" A couple of tears rolled. " I actually thought you… you'd understand!" He shook his head, wrinkling his nose with revulsion. " I don't know what I was thinking. Someone like you… will never change."

The man's eyes darkened so badly it scared him. " I'm sorry you feel that way, Ray." He raised his hand again.

But then, everything started to happen so fast Ray barely understood it all. Out of nowhere it seemed, came Oliver, who took a stand before him with a stone-hard, determined look upon his face. When his uncle's fist met the French's face, the smaller teen was sent flying into his arms, almost knocked unconscious.

Nothing – not even the words his uncle had just said – had aroused as much of bottomless anger seeing Oliver being hurt did. Ray's golden eyes held such wrath it startled his uncle as he whipped his gaze to the man. " That was the final mistake of yours", he hissed out.

Despite the stun the teen's outburst caused, the man held his indifferent posture. " I believe you're finally beginning to understand the price of your decisions, Ray." Before the boy managed to move a muscle, he'd once again pulled out his sword. Its razor-sharp tip landed onto Oliver's throat, a mere inch from making a lethal cut. " So… Are you willing to choose him before your village – even if it means this?"

To both he and Ray's surprise, it wasn't the neko-jin who spoke next. Eyes narrowed, Oliver straightened his form, and – blatantly ignoring the steel still against his throat – walked so close to the man their noses almost touched. " You know, I'm actually grateful." The French's voice was a venomous hiss. " For a long, long time, I hated Ray because he broke up with me, left me alone and pregnant with simply saying he wasn't ready to face the price of parenthood. But now… I actually think I'm beginning to understand. If _this_ is what he knew was awaiting, for all us three…" The boy shook his head, trembling with hatred. " For your information… We have a amazing baby girl, who's the most beautiful thing I'll ever see. I know that this – a teenage parenthood – definitely isn't a dreamy starting point, but… Whatever she chooses to do with her life, we'll love and cherish her. We'll _accept_ and support her."

The man seemed more than a bit baffled. " Why… are you doing this?" he uttered. " I could kill you with slightest move. So why?"

Once again taking the other two by surprise, Oliver laughed. " You still don't get it, do you?" Disappointment appeared into violet orbs. " You've raised Ray since he was three. And… After all he's done to meet your standards, all the work he did to earn even a tiniest sign of affection… _This_ is how much you've learned to appreciate him?" Almost subconsciously, he graphed Ray's hand, squeezing it. " It took me five minutes to fall in love with him."

An array of emotions – all form shock, grief, admiration and rage to disgust – flashed by the man's eyes as the blade finally fell. " Get… the hell… away from here", he spat out. " Before I change my mind."

**¨**

Mariah's heart had never jumped the way it did when she finally spotted two figures emerging from the forest. A sigh of tremendous relief erupted through her lips. " See?" she whispered to the six-months-old baby in her arms. " Daddy and papi are alright… They're…" Just then the two came closer, and she produced a gasp, eyes widening. " Oh my gosh!"

The left side of Ray's face carried a clear red tint, and it would undoubtedly transform into a ugly bruise by the next morning. Oliver's face, on the other hand, was stained by blood, some of which still oozed from his nose.

She gulped with a lot of difficulty, practically running to meet up with the boys. " Are you two alright?" Her voice was much more high-pitched than she would've preferred, but she refused to care.

Ray nodded, exhaustion and sorrow in his golden eyes. " Yeah… As soon as the bruises heal."

She would've wanted to ask what had happened, what Ray's uncle had said to them and if the boy was coming back to the village after all this time. But she was cut off by anxious-looking Oliver, who walked up to get his daughter. " Is Tanjia alright?"

Swallowing down jealousy and all questions, she nodded. " Of course. She's been crying after you two, though."

Relief lighting into his eyes, Ray gave a small, tired smile. " Thanks, Marrie."

She, too, smiled bleakly, feeling her heart breaking. _So now it's happening…_, she mused. " Anytime." The urge to touch Ray was an inch from irresistible, but she restrained herself, gritting her teeth so tightly it hurt. " Just… Take care of yourself. Both of you."

Ray nodded rather formally, obviously sensing the inner turmoil she was struggling with. " You do the same thing." With those words, he turned around, and the couple started to walk away. " Bye."

A tear slipped to her cheek as she watched his distancing back. As soon as he was out of earshot, she gave a whisper. " Goodbye."

Deep in her heart – no matter how much it hurt – Mariah knew that Ray would never come back to the village again.

And as far as the elders were concerned… this was the last time she ever saw him.

**¨**

Hiding in the cowers of bushed not too far away, Ray's uncle was soon accompanied by a slightly older woman with cherry tree-coloured hair and amber eyes. " I told you he would say no, did I not?"

He growled. " Yes, Inari", he bit out. " You did." He looked at her with flaming eyes. " Now what do we do?"

Following the two boys' distancing backs, her eyes darkened. " Even if she's a half-breed bastard child, the village needs her. After all, she's the next mistress of the White Tiger." The eyes became almost black. " We're the only ones who can show that poor child her true power, Haku."

He frowned. " What about Ray? I doubt he'd give us the child willingly, especially after this."

" He's disowned now, lost from his path. His word doesn't weight a thing anymore." Finally, she looked at him, the gaze boring straight into his soul. " We are that child's only hope, Haku. Just as much as she's ours. And no matter what her parents say… she'll grow up in this village."

* * *

In Japan, officer Ioma Kouchiva had just finished his rather chilly phone-call with Bryan Kuznetsov, and was at the moment having a headache of the millennium.

The boy had been bombarding him with messages and calls for the past two weeks, demanding to get to know how they were progressing with trying to find Voltaire and Seiji. (Thank goodness the boy didn't know about the mole roaming around the station; there was no telling what the Russian would've done.) Now, Kouchiva had been forced to settle a meeting with Bryan and his friends, as there obviously was no other way to get the boy off his back. Too bad to news he had might nothing but add the boy's fury and distrust…

Deciding that he was in a serious need of nauseatingly strong coffee, he took a turn right – and immediately froze dead on his tracks, horrendous taste seeping into his mouth.

" _I've already been keeping you posted on these idiots' moves for over two months! And frankly, I'm sick and tired of playing your little lapdog!_"

That voice… couldn't possibly belong to officer Kenoa Uchika – could it? But the more he listened and thought about it…

All the missed hints, idiotic mistakes, mysterious phone-calls and disappearances…

Suddenly, the rage he felt towards himself almost surpassed the one directed to Uchika. That bastard had been working right before his nose! And he… hadn't had a clue!

" _Damn straight the reward's better be good!_" There was brief pause. " _I know, I know. But… Can you guarantee that I'll be safe with that new identity? That these guys will never find me?_"

For a long moment, Kouchiva was about to whirl around and go to call some backup. But in the end, the thought of vengeance felt much better than rationality.

However, before he had time to take a step to one direction or another, it was too late to debate. Uchika stepped out the small room where he'd been talking to his cell-phone. The man's pale-blue eyes immediately grew wide when meeting him. " Oh fuck…"

At that moment, all he could do was laugh. " You little dumbass …" He shook his head, still snickering. " Did you really think you'd get away with this? That we'd never get on to you?"

For some odd reason, even a slightest shiver of fear didn't go through him when Uchika suddenly pulled out a gun, aiming him straight at forehead. " You know very well we're the only ones in this floor. It'll take at least half an hour before the others will discover anything wrong." The man's eyes narrowed a bit. " I have no intention to get caught anytime soon. So you'll better come with me, _boss_. Now."

* * *

Some half an hour later, a group of deeply rattled teenagers had gathered into Mr. Dickinson's office, each constantly glancing at the clock. It said quarter past two.

Tala gave a growl, sending the defenceless clock a murderous glare. " He said two o'clock, didn't he?"

Sucking in a breath with her teeth tightly grit, Hilary gave a stiff nod. " Yes, Tala, he did. And for your information, you mentioning it every thirty seconds seriously isn't helping."

The redhead opened his mouth – about to bite back – but then closed it firmly. " I know."

Sighing, she moved her hand and entrapped his. Silence fell upon them.

On the other side of the room, Bryan cautiously approached Irina, who was standing before a window, squeezing the window board so tightly her knuckles had turned white. He gulped a bit, before daring to place a hand onto her shoulder. He was taken aback when finding it quaking. " I – Irina?"

The past two months – not knowing how her brother was and what would happen, the prophecy popping up again, sorting out all the tangles with Mr. D, not to mention having to see Bryan again…

Irina was strong. But Bryan was sure that even she had her limits.

It took a good while before she spoke, and when she did, her voice was thin and hoarse. " This is already pathetic enough, alright? So please, just… Leave me alone, will you? I really don't need your damn pity."

Despite all whirling inside his mind, he tried to smile a little, though she couldn't see it. " I would never pity you, foxie, don't worry."

He supposed they were both equally surprised when she suddenly leaned backwards, trusting her whole body to lean against his. At first he was a bit confused, not sure of what to do with her. But slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Sitting behind his desk, Mr. D felt a strongest urge to cry when watching all the lost teenagers.

Some of them… hadn't even seen their sixteenth birthday yet. And still, they had to go through a hell like this.

Not noticing it, he shook his head, biting his lower lip.

There was absolutely no justice in world.

All five of them jumped when the door was suddenly thrown open, and in came Akira, followed closely by Kenny. Both had somewhat worried looks in their eyes.

" Did you find Zeo?" Irina was the one to beat everyone asking.

The couple shook their heads, slumping to a couch. " He wasn't in the dorm-room", Kenny announced.

" And he doesn't answer his phone, either", Akira went on, seeming between annoyance and terror as she shook her head again. " Where the heck is he? He should know better than…"

She was cut off when there was a knock on the door. Everyone immediately tensed, knowing perfectly who it was. " Come in, the door is open", Mr. D called out, voice tight.

A set of gasps erupted when officer Kouchiva nearly wobbled in. The left side of the man's head carried a light bandage, and his limp showed that his right leg wasn't quite dandy, either. Some blood cowered clothes he'd never had time to change.

" Holy crap", Bryan whistled, another eyebrow arched. " What ran you over?"

* * *

Elsewhere in the same town, Zeo didn't really care where his feet were taking him, ignored his cell-phone vibrating furiously inside his pocket, demanding his attention. At the moment, all he wanted was that the whole damn world would just leave him alone.

When he suddenly came out of the haze, he jumped with stun upon discovering where he was. It was a small chapel – much like the one where Aimi's funeral had been held. At first, he was close to turning around and running away, but… Something – so strange there was no word for it – nailed him to the spot.

" You must be Zeo."

The soft, velvet-like male-voice startled him bad enough to make him jump. Blinking his burning eyes, he whirled around to see a man, dressed up as a priest. " How…?" He didn't manage to choke out another word.

The priest's eyes – holding a shade of deep purple, almost black, that was painfully close to that of Aimi's – smiled down on him. " Aimi told me a lot about you. She was convinced you'd find your way here eventually."

Zeo's head was spinning badly, but despite that thoughts begun to click. Although she always refused to talk to him about it, he knew she'd been going to a church almost daily for almost all her life – all the way until she…

He didn't notice the couple of tears that rolled down his cheeks. " Can you… help me?"

The man nodded, smiling. " If this truly is the road you want to choose."

Right about then, Zeo realized he was trembling furiously, the tears running even harder.

For all his life… he'd desperately wanted to belong, to be accepted and loved. But those wishes had never been granted. Of course he had his friends, but to the rest of the world he was nothing more than a freak, a machine. Perhaps this place would finally be the salvation he'd lost alongside Aimi.

Tears rimming his eyes, he gave a resolute nod, no longer having a slightest desire to walk away.

Warm look in his eyes, the priest also nodded. " In that case, Zeo… Welcome home."

And first time in his life, Zeo Zagart actually felt like he was in one.

* * *

Back in Mr. D's office, shock lingered thickly in the air after Kouchiva had told everything.

" Uchika… was working for Boris?" Kenny finally piped out.

Kouchiva gave a nod, rubbing his head that was most definitely hurting hellishly. " Yeah… That asshole tried to shoot me and trashed my leg, but… I took him down."

Tala's eyes flashed hazardously. " Where is he?" The boy was obviously more than eager to pay a nice, long visit to the traitor.

Seeming to read his mind, Kouchiva shook his head. " Cool down, kid. You're not going anywhere." Hissing with pain, the man shifted on the couch. " Besides… We have bigger issues than that idiot to deal with."

Irina immediately frowned, folding her arms. " What are you talking about?"

Kouchiva's green eyes darkened with worry. " Uchika managed to warn Boris and Seiji we were right on their tracks. Plus – thanks to his resources as a officer – he managed to locate Kai and Tyson." The man gulped, looking at them. " Right now, those to freaks are on their way to Kai and Tyson."

Hilary gave a gasp that sounded like she'd been drowning. " Shit…"

Bryan, on the other hand, immediately bounced up, more than ready for action. " We'll better get going. Kai doesn't have his cell-phone on for safety-reasons, so… The only way to warn them is to go there." The boy's lilac-eyes flashed. " We don't have much time."

" You'll never get there on time with a regular flight." Everyone's eyes turned to Mr. D. They'd never seen the man so determined. " I think it's time to put BBA's private-jet into good use, don't you think?"

* * *

Two hours later in a Chinese motel-room, Ray felt like crying or lashing out as he cleaned up the damage his uncle had done to Oliver's face. " I just don't understand why you did it", he finally snapped. " If you'd just stayed out like we agreed, none of this would've happened!"

The boy's eyes flashed. " Watching him punch you once was hard enough", the boy grunt out, wincing as Ray brushed his nose. " I couldn't just stand back like some helpless idiot any longer."

Smiling a little despite everything, Ray shook his head. " I don't know if I should be furious or flattered." Both blushed madly when his hand accidentally rested on Oliver's pale cheek much longer than necessary. He quickly pulled himself away. " Um… I… I'm done, so…"

The green-haired boy nodded, getting up. " Okay."

He was about to go, when there was a sudden grip on his wrist. Surprised, he turned to meet golden eyes that were filled with hope, doubt, maybe even fear. " Look, Oliver… I've gotta ask you something." The boy gulped. " Today… You said you fell for me in five minutes." Gosh, he could actually sense the hesitation Ray was feeling! " Do you… Do you still feel that way?"

His mouth fell completely dry with shock. Hearing no reply, Ray looked away with a hurt expression, obviously thinking the silence was meant 'no'. But eventually, the word Oliver had been struggling with dropped out. " Yes", he blurted faintly. After everything that'd happened… there was no point in lying and pretending. " I do."

At first, Ray's eyes widened with shock. Then, slowly, the boy melted into a smile. And before Oliver was forced to figure out how to advance, the Chinese snuggled against his chest, wrapping a pair of arms tenderly around his waistline. At first, Oliver was too dumbfounded to move a muscle. But then, a smile finding its way to his lips, he pulled Ray tightly against him, smiling even more widely when finally feeling the warmth he'd missed for so long.

For a while, Ray couldn't do anything but just hold Oliver close, hardly even daring to believe this wasn't just a stupid dream. Tears started to trickle out when he realized that the long, hellish ordeal was finally over.

And that's how they remained most of the night, finally falling asleep into each other's arms.

* * *

At first, Tyson thought the sharp stabs of pain were the baby kicking. But as they got more and more painful, plus followed each other rapidly, he finally realized what was happening.

Panic squeezing his chest, he nudged at Kai, who was laying in a light sleep next to him. " K- Kai, I think we should get to the clinic."

The boy was immediately up, worry radiating from his eyes. " Contractions?" The fret grew when Tyson gave a tiny nod, biting his lip in pain. " For how long?"

He sniffed, then cried out when yet another contraction came. " I… I have no idea… Three, four hours…"

Kai cursed mildly under his breath. " Damnit, Tyson…" Visibly picking himself up, the dual-haired teen brushed his cheek in a comforting manner. " Okay… You have to stay calm, alright? I'll get you to Dr. Belushka. Just hang on for a little while longer."

Despite yet another flood of agony, Tyson chuckled a bit. " Geez, Kai… Who would've thought you to be the mother-goose –type?"

Helping him from the bed, Kai rolled his eyes. " Well someone's got to be the parent in this household." As they made their way towards the door, the boy gave him a critical look. " You alright?"

He nodded, then moaned a bit when a jolt of pain went through him, followed by a furious kick. _Damn, you really want out, don't you?_ " I'm okay, just… a bit freaked out."

A smile tugged Kai's lips. " You're not the only one." By then they were already downstairs, and the boy then grew a bit more solemn, looking at him. " I just realized I forgot something. I'll be right back, 'k?"

Earning a nod from Tyson – followed by a hiss of pain – Kai sprinted back upstairs, knowing that he had no time to waste. In a record-time he'd reached the bedroom, and gave a somewhat relieved sigh when seeing Dranzer on a nightstand. " There you are…", he murmured, gently taking the precious item and dropping it into his pocket.

Just then, his eyes fell to the sheet of paper that'd been beneath the blade, and filled with tears.

It was a letter Aimi had given him just before she died. It was rather long, but certain words burned his eyes.

_And Kai, don't ever give up on him. Remember that your fate is what you make of it. There's always hope._

Aside Zeo, Aimi had formally been the only one who knew about the prophecy. Ever since she found out, she'd kept repeating those words to Kai, desperately trying to convince him into holding on.

A shuttering breath escaped Kai. " I wish you would've been right", he whispered.

It wasn't until then he heard the noises from downstairs; shouts, or rather roars. " … _away from me, you bastards!_"

There was a hollow chuckle. " _Now, now, Tyson. That's no way to greet the man who's going to raise your child_", Boris admonished.

Fury – such Kai thought would suffocate him – took over, and before he knew what he was doing he was downstairs, pointing at Boris and Seiji (who were much too close to Tyson to his liking) with his fully prepared blade. " Touch him, and you're both dead!" he hissed, voice cracking with wrath.

Grinning, Boris turned to look at him. " Well hello there, Kai. How nice you turned up to say goodbye to Tyson and the baby."

His eyes narrowed, hands squeezed the blade even tighter. " If you cut even a single hair from his head…"

" Who ever said it would be him we'll hurt?" Seiji cut in, stepping forward. The boy gave his father a swift glance. " I'll take finish him while you take Tyson away."

Despite the constant and most definitely painful contractions, Tyson put up one hell of a fight as Boris graphed him into a steely hold. " NO! You… bastard, get your fucking hands off me!" The boy succeeded in kicking the tall man, just almost managing to break free. Tears filled the boy's eyes when they found Kai's. " KAI!"

Helplessness and rage rushing through, Kai darted forward – but was stopped by a knife that was pressed firmly against his throat. Both he and Seiji's eyes were filled with challenge, abhorrence, abhorrence and fire when encountering. " I should just plunge this through, and finish up your pitiful existence", the boy hissed into his ear. " But… that would be far too easy – and painless."

Kai cocked an eyebrow. " Then what are you going to do to me?"

" Simple." The boy looked at him straight into eyes. " I'll make you regret you were ever born."

**¨**

Outside, Tyson was still writhing against Boris' hold, but fatigue and pain made the attempts rather fruitless. Tears of frustration begun to form into his eyes. " Let… go…", he begged, pounding the man with his fists. The pain of yet another contraction made him whimper. " Please…"

" I wouldn't fight like that if I were you", Boris noted, paying no heed to his pleas. " You'll need all your strength for the childbirth."

Tyson stopped kicking and punching when suddenly discovering that they'd stopped, turned so that they could see the cabin. He frowned. " Why… did we… stop?" he panted, getting rather worn out due to the fighting and ache.

Boris didn't give him another look. " This will be a little lesson for you, Tyson. Of how to never defy fate."

He snorted despite the pain. " Kai is… never going to… let our son… face that fate, asshole… He'll fight… that stupid prophecy."

He was taken by surprise when Boris suddenly laughed. " What?" he barked out.

Boris smirked cruelly. " Kai still hasn't told you about that page he ripped off, has he?" The man shook his head. " Oh, he's always been keen on protecting those he cares about."

Suddenly, Tyson found himself shivering with something else than pain from the contractions. " What the hell are you talking about?"

The man's eyes gleamed with something sinister he'd never seen before. " If Kai really is going to fight through and break the prophecy… he's going to die." The man looked directly into his eyes. " That's the price of your son's freedom."

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: Huh-uh! (dodges stuff readers throw) Geez, I'm really torturing you guys with these cliffies, aren't I? I'm horrible!

But now… Talking about the darkest of fates! It seems no one's quite safe right now. (shutters) But at least poor Zeo finally found his place in this world!

Only two chapters and an epilogue left, folks! Time's ticking towards the final solution – and my retirement! (SNIFF)

Stay tuned for next time, and until then… I'm asking you guys down on my knees, **PLEASE** review! My head is buzzing so badly at the moment that I'll need all possible support to make it through the last chapters. (sweatdrops)

Bye for now, and be good! I promise, I'll update as soon as I can!


	17. Sacrifice

A/N: Oh yes, it's done! The new chapter's here – be it a good or a bad thing! 

As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who've actually devoted their time and sent me a message! (HUUUUUUGE hugs all over) As you know, this story wouldn't be getting anywhere without you!

(Yay, I'm so glad you liked that seen of Mr. D – it was something I liked a lot myself when creating it. And I'm also thrilled to see that bit of humour got to you; this story hasn't exactly been one of the cheeriest ones, so I figured a bit of such would be useful. (grins)

Oh, if Kai's going to die? (sweatdrops) Actually, I don't even know myself… Or yeah, I do. But… I can't give it out just yet. (sigh) Gosh, I'm mean!

Btw, the idea of retiring is killing me too. (cries eyes out))

Awkay, I don't wanna keep you waiting any longer – I left you on such a cliffy that I can already hear you guys seething with urge to go on. So, as I value my wellbeing… Here we go! I hope this one's rather enjoyable – although I… um… kinda let my mind fly in somewhere beyond stratosphere with this, so… (sweatdrops)

* * *

**Chapter sixteen: Sacrifice**

Kai gave a hiss when a fist smashed against his face, almost enough to send them him to the floor.

Watching him stumble, Seiji shook his head. " Geez, Hiwatari." The boy came a bit closer. " For all my life, I've been hearing about how fucking great you are, how powerful. And _this_ is all you've got?" He shook his head. " Pathetic."

Spitting out blood, Kai knew he wouldn't be able to go on like this much longer. He'd have to do something – anything – fast, or he'd never get his task done. " For your information…" He straightened his form, eyes filled with steel and magna. " I haven't even started yet."

The other snorted. " Give me a break; anyone can see you're barely up." A smirk came to the boy's features. " But you should know… I'll take very, very good care of my son – and Tyson. I'll make sure that child becomes exactly what he was meant to be."

" _Your_ son?" Such hiss had never before been heard from Kai. An inferno lit into the boy's eyes. " You'll better have a nice chat about that with Boris when you see him in hell."

Seiji frowned, but before the boy got another word out, Kai was on him. For a short moment, he attempted to struggle against the Russian who was attacking like a beast. But eventually, he found himself hurled against a floor. Dark fog rose up to greet him.

Panting a bit, Kai watched the half-unconscious boy laying on the floor, feeling almost chilling pleasure when seeing the stain of blood on the boy's lips. But deep inside, he found something close to terror pressing his chest.

' _Master… You know what you'll have to do_', Dranzer's familiar, soothing voice echoed inside his mind. ' _He has Black Dranzer. This is the last chance you'll get._'

He bit his lip so harshly that he tasted blood, eyes burning. ' _No!_' It was close to a scream. ' _I… I __can take what's coming; I've prepared myself for it for my entire life. But…_' He shook his head, eyes flashing. ' _There's no way I'll take you there with me. I can't do that to you – I won't!_'

' _Master, can't you see?_' There were tears in her voice. ' _Even if you'd take down Seiji, Black Dranzer would remain. And your son… They'd find each other. He'd quickly learn to use it. But…_' There was a brief pause. ' _Darkness… cannot live without light. So… In order for Black Dranzer to be destroyed, I must be as well._'

Tears ran down Kai's face as he closed his eyes.

**¨**

When Seiji's head sorted out a bit, he gave a snarl as a wave of pain went through him. But then, realizing that he was laying on a floor, bleeding but breathing, he cocked an eyebrow in surprise.

He was alive?

" I should just kill you here and now, without another thought." Lifting his chin, he saw Kai standing beside him, lava-coloured eyes flaming. " But there's something we need to finish up first."

He seemed amused. " And what would that be?"

" I know you have Black Dranzer; that Boris told you destroy me with it", the other stated. " I want you to battle me."

**¨**

Outside the cabin – still in Boris' irony hold – Tyson gave a scream of pain and despair as a jolt of pain after another assaulted him. Whimpering, he screwed his eyes shut.

_Please, little one… Wait, I'm begging you… Just a little while longer…_

" It's too late to try and stop it, Tyson." Boris' voice was calm and even. " The boy will be born right here and now."

Tyson gave yet another scream as the pain became almost greater than he could bear. He didn't even register how Boris laid him to the ground, starting to prepare him for the childbirth. Tears ran down Tyson's cheeks.

_Kai… Kai, I need you, you hear me!_ He shouted out loud. " KAI!"

By then, a familiar group was already near the house. Everyone paled when the pained shriek met their ears. " KAI!"

His body shivering visibly, Bryan gulped. " Crap."

Officer Kouchiva evidently grit his teeth, taking out his gun. " I don't understand pretty much a thing about that… prophecy", he spoke out. " But it sounds like we'll better hurry – for both Kai and Tyson."

* * *

The small, slightest sound of weightless footsteps in a Chinese hotel-room made golden eyes snap open. Hand quickly reached towards the small dagger it knew to be underneath a pillow.

" Ray, don't. Please."

The sound… It was supposed to be familiar, but now… It'd lost all its confidence and power. It sounded broken and hollow.

Frowning – some chills running through him – Ray forced himself into a sitting position. Human eyes wouldn't have seen a thing in the darkness, but his eyes effortlessly spotted a figure that stood there, leaning against a wall, holding his other arm. His frown deepened. " Uncle?" Anger quickly took over. " What the hell are you doing here?"

There was a faintest hiss when Haku moved, approaching. " I… came to warn you. It's only a matter of time…"

After sneaking a glance at Oliver (who was a sound asleep next to him, undisturbed by their whispers), he glared at his uncle with great suspicion. " A matter of time to what?" His eyes – entire face – then hardened. He once again reached for his weapon. " If you came to take Tanjia away…"

" Ray, quiet." At that point, the man was so close that Ray could see him properly. Haku looked like hell. Blood, cuts and bruises cowered his face (and without a doubt his whole body), and in his side, he saw a growing, dark stain against black fabric. The man was still holding his other arm, that was most likely at least broken.

Despite himself he gulped, shock apparent upon his face. " What the…?" No matter how much Haku's words had wounded him earlier, it still didn't erase that fact that the elder had raised him for almost all his life. He felt worried.

Haku's eyes – exactly like his – showed a huge set of emotions when locking with his. " No matter how much I despise your choice… I can't let them take your child." This time it was the man who gulped. " I… owe that much to your father… and someone else."

His head spinning, Ray tried to grasp on to his straying thoughts. " Inari, the elders… Did they… do that to you?" Would the elders really hurt one of their own?

Haku nodded stiffly, writhing a little with pain. " Inari… She knew what I was going to do. That I wouldn't let them do this."

Ray was struck speechless by shock. After all said and done… Haku had done this? " Why?"

At that moment, he got to witness two things he'd never seen before. Tears trickled down Haku's pale cheeks, glimmering like fields of diamonds in moonlight. And then, he looked towards the window into horizon, smiling softly to something only he saw. " Because… I was once like you, Ray. I knew what love felt like." But then, the man's posture returned to stony. All emotions vanished, except for one – pain shone in amber depths. " But you… You have to go, now. They'll be here any minute now."

For a longest time, Ray looked at him, debuting whether he should believe or not. But eventually, the boy gave a nod.

After that, it only took mere five minutes before the teen had woken up Oliver (to understate it, the French was shocked to see Haku there), and the couple had packed up the few belongings they'd brought along.

Just before the couple was out, Ray suddenly paused by the doorway, looking at Haku with a torn, evaluating look upon his face. " What about you?"

Fighting against another wave of pain, he straightened his form. " I'll be fine. Now go; time's running out." Just before the boy was out of earshot, he spoke once more. " Oh, and Ray?"

He could no longer see the boy (as he was out of the room), but heard the tension and hesitation. " Yeah?"

He gulped thickly and, finally allowing pain and fatigue to take over, slumped to the floor. " I'm… sorry."

It took a while before there was a faint reply. " I know." With that, Ray was gone.

Knowing that the boy was safe, he gave a deep, shuttering sigh, tilting his head to look at the stars shining through the window. Once more, a soft smile came to his lips. " See, Taichi? I… I did it, just… just like I promised. I… set him free. He's safe… It's over…" Slowly, his eyes slid shut, and he slumped further to floor, red staining the wall. " And I… will see you soon…"

Just before everything faded from black to white, he could see a familiar smiling face. And one more time, a couple of tears escaped.

The next morning, a member of staff found his body laying on the floor. He had a serene smile upon his face.

* * *

Boris watched with excitement and anticipation as each scream, mew and cry from Tyson brought the miraculous child closer to the outside world. " That's right…", he murmured, almost demonic eyes gleaming. " Your father betrayed me and Voltaire, the prophecy… But you… You'll be perfect."

Hearing those words, Tyson tried his hardest to fight back, to do anything at all to get the bastard as far away from him and the child as possible. But all he could do was give yet another raw yelp as agony kept hammering him.

The baby was almost out, he could feel it. Soon, the child – he and Kai's child – would be in Boris' hands.

The very thought made him squeeze his eyes tightly shut and emit a hopeless mew. " Kai…", he cried in a whisper. Yet another set of tears erupted. " Anyone… Help…"

Boris gave a icy laughter. " Are you really begging for help?" The man shook his head, laughing again. " Oh Tyson, I promise you, _no one_ will interfere before the boy is safely with me. No one is going to take this one away."

" I wouldn't bet my money on that, Balkov."

Tyson's gaze was somewhat blurry due to all the ache. But a cry – this time one of relief, almost joy – escaped when he saw all his friends, and officer Kouchiva before them, pointing his gun at Boris. The man's eyes were blazing.

But it wasn't quite over yet. Once more, Boris laughed, this time hollowly. " Well done, Ioma." The man slowly got up. " Before his death, your father… came close to capturing me. But honestly, I would've never expected the same of you." Tyson gasped when he saw Boris' hand moving towards something hidden underneath his jacket – a gun. " It would've been excellent if you'd been smart and taken my side back then. But now…" As his hand wrapped around the weapon, Tyson tried to utter a warning, but only whimper of pain came out. " I wish you hadn't gotten in the way."

Tyson fought against the darkness as hard as he could. But in the end, haze closed itself around him, and he drifted away.

The last thing he heard was a deafening bang.

* * *

Inside, Kai's body had been pushed to its very extreme as he charged all he had against Seiji, ache almost bringing him to his knees. There were wounds all over his battered form – left by Seiji's merciless attacks, aimed directly at his body – and he could already taste blood. It was clear he wouldn't last long.

But it appeared he wouldn't have to. Eyes gleaming with something so deep it chilled him, Seiji opened his mouth and roared. " BLACK DRANZER!"

Once upon a time, Kai had been marvelled by the sight of the reddish-black bird appearing and spreading its majestic wings, astonished by the its cry. But now – looking into its bitter, grief-filled eyes – all he could feel was pity.

" It should've been mine." The look in Seiji's eyes was one of admiration and respect as they gazed longingly at the amazing, dark beast. " It… It could've given me _everything_ – power, my father's respect…" The eyes darkened again with sour hatred, boring into his. " It belongs to _me_!"

Sadness spilling into his heart, Kai shook his head. " No, it doesn't."

The other made a small huff. " To who, then? You?"

Again, he shook his head, looking up at the beast that was waiting for his move. " No, Seiji." He sighed. " Don't you understand? It's no one's to have." Other emotions soon turned into tremendous grief when he realized the time was coming. Feeling like crying, he called out. " DRANZER! ATTACK!"

It took no further command. With furious screeches, the two beasts stormed towards each other, finally meeting in a blow that sent both bladers down.

" Black Dranzer, ATTACK!" Seiji's tone started to sound frantic; even Kai could feel the little connection between the boy and beast breaking. The beast glared at the boy, sounding like it'd been hissing. " What the hell are you doing? Destroy him!"

Kai gulped, feeling like throwing up. " It won't take orders from you", he pointed out.

Hissing, Seiji shot him a venomous look. " You – stay the hell out of this!"

Paying no heed, he went on. " It only bows down to one Master." _And that person… is the one who should set it free._

" SHUT UP!" Seiji bellowed, then looked back at his beast, chest rising and falling erratically. " Destroy him! Finish him!"

' _Master!_' Dranzer's voice inside his head was anxious, commanding, unlike ever before. ' _Do it, now!_'

Feeling his whole soul shattering, Kai sent out a call. ' _Black Dranzer, do it. Attack._'

The dark beast seemed baffled as it looked at him. ' _Master?_'

His seething eyes narrowed, his chest felt like it'd been on fire. ' _NOW!_'

After a moment's hesitation, the reddish-black beast gave a cry and obeyed.

Kai, on the other hand, roared out a command. " Dranzer, do it! Give him all you've got!"

And at that, the blades and beasts crushed against each other. Feathers and sparks flew in showers, and both bladers shouted out in pain.

Tears – so hot they burned – ran down Kai's cheeks as he praised himself to finally fulfil the prophecy. He could absently hear Seiji screaming again and again in pain and defeat.

_God, Dranzer… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…_

His eyes fell closed, the tears still escaping. He spread his arms, releasing the last bits of strength he had left.

_But… at least…_

The sounds following were almost enough to tear his heart apart. The blades crushing together with a one, final blow… Both of them shattering to pieces… And then, finally, the bit-beasts screaming with anguish – for one, last time.

… _I know that…_

' _Master, please, don't cry. Black Dranzer… is gone now. At rest – and so will I be._'

His tears fell even harder. It was so very hard to stay up… ' _Dranzer…_'

' _This… had to be done. Never forget that._'

With that, she was gone. And he sunk to his knees.

… _I'll be joining you soon…_

Tears running down his cheeks and whole frame shivering uncontrollably, he didn't hear the screeches and moans the small cabin gave as it started to fall apart; the battle had been just too much for it. He didn't have the strength to open his eyes to see in what condition Seiji was. Suddenly, all the pain – mental and physical – seemed to be crushing him.

And at that moment, he opened his mouth and screamed at the top of his lungs.

He paid no attention the roof above falling towards him.

* * *

When Tyson shot his eyes open, all he could see was dark haze that wrapped around him, making him feel cold and hollow.

A frown passed his features.

_Where… am I?_

" Tyson?"

The deep, familiar voice made his heart jolt. Giving a gasp, he whirled around – and gasped again. " Kai!" The relief was so immense it seemed to make his chest burst. He wanted nothing more than to run over and hug daylights out of Kai, but his body was paralyzed. " Thank God!"

But to his surprise, Kai didn't seem quite as relieved. Actually, there was great sorrow in the boy's eyes of scarlet. " Tyson… Thank you. For everything."

He frowned, finding himself shivering. " Kai, what the heck are you talking about?" Just then, he felt a flow of shock upon realizing the other was slowly fading away. " NO!"

A soul tear that glimmered like a star slipped to Kai's cheek. " Goodbye."

With that, the boy disappeared. And the cold darkness swallowed Tyson.

* * *

Back outside, the group stared at the body laying on the ground, a pool of blood forming underneath his head that'd been pierced by a bullet.

For a long moment, Kenny struggled against the nausea. But eventually, he stepped aside and heaved far from ceremoniously. Hilary also disappeared somewhere.

Eyes cold and hard, Kouchiva put away his still smoking gun. His gaze was also locked to Boris' unmoving, lifeless body. " It's over now, asshole", he whispered venomously. " Goodbye."

The others, however, rapidly gathered around alarmingly still Tyson. Irina was the fastest of them, and kneeled by the bluenette's side. Hands quickly worked on him, examining.

Despite all other urges, Tala found himself frowning and folding his arms. " How's the little idiot doing?"

" He's alive", she announced, relief seeping into her tone. She then looked at them, eyes carrying some worry. " But he's terribly exhausted – and in a labour. He needs help."

Akira just opened her mouth to ask something, when Hilary walked back and spoke out. " I just called an ambulance. They should be here any moment." She then also kneeled down to Tyson's level, running a hand down the boy's pale cheek. She had to blink a bit. " I want you to wake up, you hear me? We all do. For… for the baby's sake – and Kai's."

It wasn't until then they all – including Hilary herself – realized something. Looks of utter shock mirrored one another as they looked at each other, the suddenly cold air making them shiver.

Bryan was the only one able to wheeze out words. " Where the hell is Kai?"

" Kai…" The soft, pained moan brought all their attention to Tyson, who'd stirred slightly.

Hilary gave a small, choked laughter, shaking her head. " Damn you, Granger!" she admonished through teary laughter. " I should smack you! You almost gave me a heart-attack!"

Tyson, however, didn't seem to hear her. Through pants and whinges of pain, he managed utter scarcely coherent words. " Kai… Black Dranzer…" The boy clearly struggled not to black out again. " He's… in there… With Seiji…"

And just then, roars that sounded like thunder came from the house's direction, clearly indicating the building was falling apart.

Hilary's eyes immediately grew huge. " KAI!"

No one had even seen Bryan move with such speed he darted towards the house – but officer Kouchiva was faster. Green eyes filled with all between annoyance and worry, the man held him still and shook his head.

Bryan growled like a bear, balled fists fully prepared to shove the man off. " Get… off… me. Now."

" That building may come down any minute!" Kouchiva snarled back, the hold on him tightening still. " I'm not letting you go there and get yourself killed! Professionals will be here any minute – there's nothing we can do before that!"

As the two kept roaring at each other with the others watching in stun, Tala decided that this was his only chance. Careful not to draw attention, he moved to Irina, who was still trying to help agonized, screaming Tyson. She gave him a glance as he bent down to her. " Irina, Mr. D sent you into that medical training; I trust you to help the _baka_ here."

She looked at him again, frowning. " What the hell are you up to?"

His eyes darkened. " No matter what, I'm not leaving Kai in there. I'm not letting him die."

He was startled when a hand suddenly graphed his wrist, squeezing tightly. Whipping his gaze to side, he found Tyson's desperate, pleading eyes gaping back. " Tala… Bring him… back… please…" The eyes were clenched shut for a while as a surge of agony came. " That damn… prophecy… Don't let… it happen…"

His mind whirring, Tala gave a dazed nod, gulping laboriously. " I promise", he whispered. " I won't give up before finding him."

Feeling another pair of eyes on him, he looked up to meet Irina's eyes. A jolt of shock stroke when he realized that tears were rolling down the girls face. Just then he noticed how furiously she was shivering; obviously wanting nothing as much as going there to find her brother, bring him back to safety. Her lips quivered, opened several times before there was a faintest of whispers. " … please…"

Biting back his own tears, he simply nodded. With that, he gave one more glance to Tyson, then ran as fast as humanly possible. At the moment, nothing could've stopped him – not even Kouchiva.

**¨**

It took far longer than Tala would've desired, but eventually he was inside the house – and emitted a gasp of utter terror when facing the destruction. Almost the entire floor of second-floor had came down.

Heart racing, he froze to the spot. " Oh… my God…"

But Tala couldn't afford to sink into the shock for too long. Gulping thickly and trusting on some hunch in the depths of his mind, he once again started running. " Kai!" he called out, voice filled with heartbreaking desperation. As the only reply was cracking walls screeching, burning sensation filled his eyes. " Kai, goddammit, answer me! Where are you?"

Suddenly, he was nailed to the spot, with his eyes rapidly widening and all colour abandoning his face. Time itself seemed to still – the only thing moving was his racing heart.

There – laying in a pool of blood with pieces of shattered beyblade all around him, buried by what seemed like tons of debris from the roof above – was Kai.

Tala felt like he couldn't breathe. He couldn't feel his tears, though they burnt hellishly. " No…"

* * *

With the others, the gang watched with some horror as Tyson – tears running down his sickly pale cheeks – gave yet another raw scream.

Giving the bluenette's hand a squeeze of comfort, Irina checked up on the situation. " You're doing great, Tyson", she told him, trying to offer as much encouragement as possible. " Just one more push and the baby's out, alright? Just… Hang in there, for a little bit longer."

Tyson's next cry disappeared to the sounds of approaching sirens. Turning their heads, the group-members gave sighs of tremendous relief when seeing that there was finally an ambulance on its way.

Bryan (having forgotten about his fight with Kouchiva a short while earlier) huffed. " 'Bout bloody time…"

Irina, on the other hand, was oblivious to the finally arriving help. Tears weren't far as a shrill cry pierced the air, and she cautiously took the new-born baby-boy – her nephew – into her trembling arms. Despite herself, she gave a sniff. " Oh my gosh…" Lips quivering and eyes glimmering, she gently handed the child to Tyson, who was crying openly. " It's… He's…" She couldn't find more words.

Not that she would've had time to. Another sound of thunder – far louder than the last – effectively gained all their attention. Gasps and screams – along with the baby's cry that seemed to have become far louder than before, almost like he'd known – could be heard as another huge part of the cabin came crumbling down. Soon, there'd be nothing left of it.

Petrified Hilary opened her mouth for another scream, but suddenly, all voice and breath was caught into her throat. All colour draining from her face, she stumbled backwards as thought she'd been punched.

The silence above the shocked, frozen group was absolute as they stared at the chilling sight before them.

From the practically destroyed building emerged Tala, tears glimmering in his blue eyes. Gently, carefully, cradled into the boy's arms was Kai. The dual-haired teen's eyes were closed, lips holding a blue tint. There was blood all over his face and clothes.

He wasn't making even a slightest flinch.

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: I'm just gonna run for cover, alright? Because you guys are seriously gonna slaughter me. (gringes)

Only one more chapter and an epilogue left, people! Soon, all questions will have their answers…

'Hope I'll get the next chappy done soon enough. Until then… **PLEASE** review, please! You guys know how happy knowing you're there makes me. (puppy-dog eyes)

See you all next time! Adios!


	18. Far away

A/N: Holy damn, it's done! (goes into hyper-mode) I was so stuck with a couple of scenes here that I would've _never_ thought this would come out this quickly! But here it is! 

I know, you'd love me to just get straight to the point, buuuuuuut…

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those astounding reviews! Gosh, I supposed the last chapter really inspired you, huh? (HUUUUUUUGS) I seriously still can't believe someone bothers to read my scrabblings, let alone _likes_ them! The encouragement from you guys means world to me.

(Hey, don't worry about long reviews – I promise you, even if you'd write a full book, I'd value it and read it. :) I love reviews in all shapes and sizes. (grins)

Um… I really left you into a horrible cliffie, didn't I? (sighs) I know, I know, I'm a real meanie-face. (pulls out best innocent face)

(wipes tears) And yeah, I'll miss you guys too. (SNIFF) )

(squeaks) Alright, alright! Put those stones away – violence doesn't solve anything! (sweatdrops) Eh… Here's the new chapter, folks! Hope you'll like it!

(Btw… The song here is – in my opinion – amazing "Far away" by Nickelback. Tragically, I have no ownership of it whatsoever. (sniffs) I just figured it expresses perfectly what's going on through Tyson's head during the chapter.)

* * *

**Chapter seventeen: Far away**

* * *

/ _**This time, This place  
Misused, Mistakes  
Too long, Too late  
Who was I to make you wait**_ /

* * *

Wind whispered softly into Kai's ears as he slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the bright blue that assaulted them. 

For a long moment, he expected a tidal-wave of pain to come, but blinked in surprise when all he could feel was something soft underneath him.

" Morning." That voice… couldn't be… " I thought you wouldn't wake up at all."

Breath caught into his throat, he pushed himself into a sitting position, then – slowly, as though not wanting to see – turned his gaze. Tears almost welled into his eyes when he realized that it really was Wyatt sitting beside him, looking at the perfect blue sky. " Wyatt…" It was just a thin whisper, so uncharacteristic of him that in any other occasion, it would've amused him.

It… had all been just a dream? Wyatt's death… All the guilt… Seiji…

" No." Wyatt's voice, albeit soft, startled him a bit. " It all happened. Just as it was supposed to."

Shivering, he wrapped his arms around himself. " Then… what the heck is this?"

A small, sad smile appeared to Wyatt's face. " I'm here to help you let go."

* * *

/ _**Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know**_ /

* * *

Despite the fact that he was so exhausted he barely stayed up, Tala knew he wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he'd been carried to bed. 

Idly rubbing his red, puffy eyes with one hand, he slowly pushed open a small door in a Russian clinic. Despite the fact that he knew what to expect (having been in the room before that endless night), the sight still ached his heart.

Sitting on a bed that seemed far too big for him, legs brought up against his chest, sat Tyson, the lost gaze of his blue eyes directed to window, although he most likely saw nothing. Due to all the crying he'd surely been doing, the boy's eyes were even redder than his, and his breathing sounded erratic and hitched. Those terrified eyes – along with the huge, butt-ugly hospital-gown – made him seem much smaller and younger than he truly was, childlike.

Bracing himself, he gave the door a slight knock to gain the bluenette's attention. Blinking and quickly fighting on a lousy façade of composure, the boy turned to look at him. " Anything new?" Tyson inquired (or rather begged) in a raspy voice.

Heart twitching, he shook his head, then frowned when noticing something. " Where's the baby?"

A tiny sniff came from Tyson. " Dr. Belushka… took him to some… tests. To make sure he's okay, I guess." The boy was trying to restrain tears so tightly that his entire face twitched a bit. But still, a tear seeped through. " He… He hasn't stopped crying for a second… since the cabin…"

Those words set Tala's own eyes on fire. Blinking furiously, he nodded again stiffly. _I've gotta get away from here…_ " I'll… come back, as soon as I know something."

This time it was Tyson who nodded, resignedly. He was almost out, when Tyson's words suddenly halted him. " Tala… Thanks."

He frowned. " For what?"

The boy looked at him, gloom in his eyes. " For… Not giving up. For keeping your promise."

He looked away and grit his teeth, a flood of images flashing before his eyes.

/ _Kai's painfully still form underneath the debris._ /

/ _Crimson blood staining his trembling hands as he frantically searched for pulse; blood he didn't think he'd ever get washed off._ /

/ _His lips on Kai's cool ones, hopelessly trying to force in a breath of life._ /

/ _Kai's feather-light, still body in his arms._ /

His eyes narrowed, aching unbearably. " That's what family's about, ne?" With that lingering in the air as his parting words, he slipped out of the room.

As soon as he managed to stumble to the hallway, he leaned his back against a wall and allowed his eyes to slip closed. A wave of something foreign flooding through his whole body, he found himself shivering.

Ever since emerging the cabin, he'd been working on some sort of auto-pilot. Answered the questions of friends and medics (for how long Kai hadn't been breathing before he'd performed CPR, if he'd seen Seiji…), stayed tuned on both Kai, Tyson and the baby-boy's condition, had what was close to World War Three with the staff to get out any information… So far, those mechanical actions had somewhat kept him sane.

But now… nothing held him together.

Giving a tiny, hollow howl, he gave in and slumped down ungracefully, his twitching eyelids not opening for a second. No matter how much he would've wanted to cry, to scream out loud, he no longer had the strength.

He almost laughed dryly at the irony.

Mighty Tala Valkov, barely managing to breathe.

" Tala?"

The familiar feminine voice caught him so off guard that his eyes flew open, meeting a pair of torn, ruby orbs. For a moment, Hilary looked at him, evaluating. Then, without saying a word, she walked up to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. As she buried her face against his still quivering shoulder, he could soon feel something hot and moist.

And no matter how desperately he would've wanted to, he still didn't find the strength to cry. All he could do was wrap one arm around her.

Neither knew for how long they'd stayed there, when Hilary spoke in a thin voice. " Kai… He was just… brought out of the surgery."

Slowly gaining back some breath, he nodded dazedly.

" They… They're not sure… if he's going to make it. If he… wants to." He felt her shake her head. " They… They don't understand what's going on… It's like he's… given up or something."

With those words, Tala suddenly felt a flame – or rather inferno – rise inside of him. Tyson's words kept pounding his head.

_" Tala… Thanks. For… Not giving up."_

And he had no intention to.

_" That's what family's about, ne?"_

He moved so swiftly that it startled Hilary. She blinked in surprise when seeing the sudden flame in his eyes. " Come on", he uttered in a rough voice.

She frowned, taking his outstretched hand. " What are you doing?"

His eyes flashed. " There's only one person in this world who can keep Kai hanging on. We've gotta get that person to him."

* * *

/ _**That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore**_ /

* * *

… _to let go …_

Although he'd been preparing himself for this for his entire life, Kai still felt a lump in his throat. He nodded. " I'm ready", he stated in a somewhat choked voice.

But to his surprise, Wyatt shook his head. " No, Kai. It's not time yet", the boy told him. " I'm here to help you let go of all that guilt and sorrow."

Those words – said with such sincerity, without an ounce of hatred – took Kai by surprise. He blinked. " I… I drove you into that battle that…" Tears welled into his eyes. " And Dranzer…"

Wyatt gave a lopsided smile. " You think I didn't have enough of free will to choose my own battles, make my own mistakes?" The boy shook his head. " Shame on you." He then grew a lot more solemn. Kai's heart jumped a bit when the boy's hand – much warmed than he'd expected – took his. The boy's brown eyes bore straight into his, giving no chance to look away. " Kai, I want you to listen to me very, very carefully. _I_ chose to battle fight Cyber Dranzer, even though I knew I'd never be able to control its power. _I_, not you, not even Goki. It was _my own_ mistake, _my _stupidity. And Dranzer… You only did what she wanted you to; it was the only way to break that prophecy, to save your son."

With those words, the weight that's been on Kai's shoulders for over three years finally started to tumble down. Tears ran down his cheeks, and he was trembling so badly his legs barely supported him. " Wyatt…"

The other's eyes were glimmering as well, the hold on his hand tightened. " It's… It's been a hell to watch you torturing yourself for all this time, almost killing yourself." The boy's face hardened. " I… I know you don't… care about me the way I care about you; never will. But… If you ever even considered me a friend… Then let go and stop torturing me, please." Despite tears, the boy gave a smile. " Your son and Tyson… They need you, Kai. So don't you dare give up and betray them like this. You love Tyson too much."

* * *

/ _**On my knees, I'll ask  
Last chance for one last dance  
'Cause with you, I'd withstand  
All of hell to hold your hand  
I'd give it all  
I'd give for us  
Give anything but I won't give up  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know**_ /

* * *

Tyson was only vaguely aware of the fact that there was some protesting from Dr. Belushka as Tala and Hilary brought him into Kai's room. As the trio had a quiet 'negotiation' (almost like they'd been afraid of disturbing someone), all that fit into his mind was Kai. His eyes immediately gained a burning sensation, though tears didn't spill. " K – Kai?" 

The boy before him… seemed so foreign…

Even though blood had been washed away, there were nasty, stitched-up wounds all around Kai that would surely remain as scars. His face was unnaturally white, and even with the oxygen mask his lips still seemed slightly blue. His breathing sounded hitched and so painful that it tore his heart.

But none of those things was the reason to his shock. It was the fact that Kai… didn't look like Kai anymore; he seemed fragile, almost broken, like a part of soul had been taken from him.

And it was then he realized. He blinked furiously.

_Dranzer…_

He'd only had Dragoon for less than five years, but Kai and Dranzer… They'd been together for pretty much all his life. In the middle of all the hells of Kai's past, Dranzer had been his only strength and support. And now, she was gone.

Without her… what would become of Kai?

Still ignoring everyone else in the room, Tyson moved his wheelchair (that he was forced to use against his will due to the childbirth) right next to Kai's bed, then looked at the boy with lost, confused eyes, not sure of what to do.

Looking at the distraught teen, Dr. Belushka realized that there was no way she'd be cruel enough to drive him out of the room. Giving a sigh of sadness and defeat, she looked at the other two. " Alright, then. I think we could give them a couple of minutes."

His eyes still glued on Kai, Tyson didn't even notice the trio leaving soundlessly.

Even though he had managed to struggle against tears for time he considered remarkably long, they immediately found their way to his eyes as he clasped onto Kai's cool hand, and didn't feel even a slightest response.

For several times his lips moved without uttering a single word. But when he finally gained back his capability to speak, it all came out in a flow. " I… I'm so sorry for running away back then, after Wyatt's death… For… for failing you… If… If it wasn't for me… everything could've been different." As there was still no response to his desperate hold, he squeezed tighter, tears running. " But I… I swear to you, I'll never fail you again." As he spoke, he didn't notice the fine line's in Kai's monitor change slightly. " Kai, we… We have a son, you know? He… he's the most perfect thing I've ever seen, and…" For a moment, his voice broke. " I… I can't do this all alone. I… I need you, we both do. So… You can't just leave us like this, you hear me?" His voice cracked even more as despair broke through. " I… I love you, Kai. And… I'm not going to lose you because of some stupid book. I'm not giving up on you, not ever."

He jumped when the door was suddenly opened. Swiftly wiping his eyes, he turned to see Dr. Belushka coming back into the room. She had a sad, apologetic smile upon her face. " I'm sorry, but I afraid it's time to go now. Kai needs some peace and quiet to recover."

He'd never felt as reluctant as he did when giving a faint nod, his hold on Kai's hand tightening still. As he looked at Kai's pale, scarred face, he had to ask. "Dr. Belushka… How… how is he doing?" The tearing sight of Kai's painfully still form becoming too much for him, he looked at the woman. " And… I mean really; I… I don't want some sugarcoated version."

The traces of smile vanishing, the woman gave a deep sigh, looking at the boy laying in the bed. " Tyson… You need to understand that he was severely injured; there were tens of cuts and bruises. His breathing is also rather hard, because some broken ribs damaged his lung, plus we're not sure of what all the lack of oxygen did to his brain. And I'm also somewhat worried about his heart and blood-pressure." She bit her lip, obviously not sure if she should say the rest. " And Tyson… Kai's legs… They were almost completely crushed; it was a miracle they won't have to be amputated."

His eyes rapidly grew wide, heart jumped into his throat. " W – wait a second… Are you saying…?" Words failed him.

" I… I'm so sorry, but…" The woman gulped. " Kai… He will never walk again."

His mind spinning rapidly, Tyson looked at Kai, yet again feeling like crying. _Oh dear God…_ It took for long before he found his voice. " What… What are his chances?"

Dr. Belushka opened her mouth, but never got the chance to speak out. Both their eyes flew to the heart-monitor, when its steady beeping suddenly grew faster, almost angry.

Terror immediately flooded through Tyson. Grasping onto Kai's hand, he realized he was shivering all over. " What… What's going on?"

* * *

/ _**That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
Stop breathing if  
I don't see you anymore**_ /

* * *

" _I… I can't do this all alone. I… I need you, we both do."_

" _I… I love you, Kai. And… I'm not going to lose you because of some stupid book."_

_" I'm not giving up on you, not ever."_

Those distant, yet alluring words hammering his head, Kai was taken aback when noticing that he was beginning to fade away. " What…?" Eyes widening, he looked at Wyatt. " I… I can't go… Leave you…"

Wyatt visibly grit his teeth. " As much as I'd want to keep you here… I can't. You don't belong here, not yet. There's something you must do first." Despite grief, the boy smiled. " Also… You shouldn't worry about me; this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. And I'll be right here waiting for you when the time comes."

Caught in the moment, Kai suddenly threw his arms around the smaller teen and buried his face into the locks of brown hair. He bit his lip hard. " I… I'll miss you, Wyatt."

He heard a sniff. " I'll miss you, too." The boy held him close. " But as I said, there's no point in saying goodbye."

And as the world around Kai started to fade away from – including Wyatt – the boy's words were left lingering into his ears.

" Good luck, Kai. I'll be waiting."

* * *

/ _**So far away  
Been far away for far too long  
So far away  
Been far away for far too long  
But you know, you know, you know**_ /

* * *

In a waiting room not too far away, Kenny gave a deep sigh when putting away his cell-phone and rubbed his temple, feeling a nasty headache kicking in. 

He looked up when hearing approaching steps, and smiled feebly when seeing Akira approaching with two mugs of coffee. Her eyes seemed unnaturally puffy. " Did you get a hold of them?" she inquired hoarsely, handing him one mug. She spoke quietly, not wanting to wake up Tala and Irina, who'd just fallen asleep close by.

He nodded. " Ray… said he'll come as fast as he can; he'll go to the church, and… and tell Zeo. Max… He started to cry."

Giving a deep sigh, Akira slumped to the seat beside his. " This… This is like from a fucking nightmare."

Blinking furiously, he put away the mug and covered his face with his hands. " You know… I've watched my friends through many bey-battles, seen them getting hurt, watched Aimi and Wyatt…" He couldn't bring himself to finish. " But… I've never felt this useless in my entire life."

From the very beginning of their relationship, Kenny had known that Akira hated nothing as much as showing signs of affection in public. That's why he was stunned when she wordlessly wrapped an arm around him and laid her head against his shoulder. Grateful for the support, he took her free hand and closed his eyes.

He didn't know if he'd already fallen asleep, when he suddenly jolted fully alert with Akira tensing against him. His eyes snapped open with fright when he realized that she was barely breathing.

He, too, felt his heart skip a beat when seeing Tyson being wheeled out of Kai's room, the looks between both he and the doctor's faces.

He gulped hard. " What the…?"

* * *

/ _**I wanted  
I wanted you to stay  
'Cause I needed  
I need to hear you say  
That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I forgive you  
For being away for far too long**_ /

* * *

For all her life, stars had brought Irina great comfort; even back when she'd lost her parents, been ripped away from his brother and into Mr. D's care. 

But that night, as they were slowly fading to give room for new day… the formally friendly sky seemed alien to her. Almost like the stars had been brand new, not out of this world.

Feeling a sudden change in air, she peered over her shoulder to see that Bryan had also appeared to the roof. Most definitely because of restrained emotions, the boy's face was stone-hard, though his lilac eyes betrayed all emotions.

Feeling her eyes go watery all over again, she quickly looked away. " You couldn't stand the silence, either?" she inquired, trying to keep her voice strong and failing miserably.

" It's… like they're already preparing for a funeral." Anger and pain could be heard in Bryan's tight voice. " If I'd stayed another second, I would've probably hurt someone."

For a fleeing second, a smallest of smiles could be seen upon her lips. But it disappeared as soon as the picture that'd been tattooed to her brain once again reappeared; Kai's all too still, bloodied form in Tala's arms.

Feeling cold chills all of a sudden, she wrapped her arms around herself.

Kai… was her big-brother, the last family-member she had left. Even when they'd been countries apart, she'd always known he was watching over her somehow.

How could such person possibly be stolen from her like this?

**¨**

When Bryan first saw Irina's shoulders start to quake, he thought she was merely shivering. But when sobs (so silent wind almost carried them away) reached his ears, he had absolutely no idea of what to do with her.

_Crap…_

He'd always been terrible (to say the least) with all this… emotional stuff. What the hell was he supposed to do?

Feeling like crying himself, he eventually approached her slowly (as he would a dangerous, wild beast). When spotting no signs of potential threat, he went on and cautiously wrapped a pair of arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. Despite everything, a small hue came to his cheeks when she made no attempt to resist, but instead leaned closer.

For a moment, he thought about telling her it'd be alright, that everything was going to work out. But in the end, he decided not to; Irina had never been a fan of such hollow clichés.

Neither knew for how long they'd been sitting there in silence, when a sudden burst of courage filled him. Things he'd been longing to say for ages found their way out in a breath-like whisper. " Irina, I… I'm sorry I didn't come looking for you back then, when I got the chance." He was far beyond grateful the girl couldn't see his deepening blush. " I just… got a little…" He trailed off.

" … scared?" Irina offered. His heart jumped all the way to his throat when the girl suddenly looked over her shoulder, straight into his eyes. There was something in her eyes he hadn't seen before.

He gulped laboriously, finding it hard to speak under those eyes. " I'm sorry."

Faintest of smiles upon her lips, she looked away. " Don't be stupid", she admonished gently. He could've sworn he saw a trace of a flush, but it might've been his imagination. " You know… I forgave you long ago."

Bryan had never felt such a whir of hotness he did then before. Adrenaline rushing through his veins, he opened his mouth.

But before anything came out, the door that lead to the roof was thrown open, startling them both. Turning their heads, they found terrified-looking Akira standing there. She barely managed to pant out. " Something's… up… with Kai…"

* * *

/ _**So keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it**_ /

* * *

Everything that happened after the beeping's change was a blur to Tyson; Dr. Belushka taking him out of the room, another doctor rushing in with her, someone – most likely Tala or Hilary – taking him aside, Kenny and Akira appearing with Bryan and Irina, terrified looks and questions he had no answers to… 

Time seemed to stand still as they kept waiting, none speaking, hardly daring to breathe in fear of shuttering an invisible bubble that kept everything together.

Then – after infinity - Dr. Belushka finally walked up to them, exhausted look upon her face after a long night.

Irina immediately balled her fists. " What the hell's going on?" she demanded.

Tyson's heart almost burst of relief when he saw the smile that crept to the woman's face. She shook her head. " I… can't quite understand all this. None of us has ever seen a miracle like this, but… Kai just woke up."

Oblivious to the storm erupting around him, Tyson clutched to the sides of his wheelchair so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his mind yet again spinning. " I… I want to see him. I have to." His voice was filled with desperate plea. " Please."

For a moment Dr. Belushka seemed debuting, then smiled again and nodded. " Alright. But only for a little while; Kai's going to need a lot of rest."

Soon enough, Tyson found himself from behind the door of Kai's hospital room. For some ridiculous reason, his heart was racing.

" Don't worry if Kai's a bit groggy", Dr. Belushka's voice managed to reach him. " He's under quite a medication."

His voice in no condition to work, he nodded, anxious to finally get inside. As though reading his mind, Dr. Belushka soundlessly pushed the door open, helping him in. " Go easy on him, alright? After all, he just woke up."

Tyson was about to reply, but at the moment he saw Kai, his whole world stilled. Tears seeped out while a quivering smile crept up to his lips. " Kai…"

Quickly wiping his eyes, the boy looked at him, gaze despite all pain and fatigue possessing its usual fire. Gradually, a smile came to the boy's lips as well.

With that, Tyson forgot all else. Giving a cry and ignoring the throbbing in his lower parts, he bounced up from the wheelchair and rushed over to Kai, throwing his arms around the boy as tightly as he possibly could. Jolting a bit (his crushing hold most likely bringing pain), Kai returned the hug and pulled him close, allowing him to climb into the bed and bury his face into the taller teen's shoulder. At that moment – sensing Kai's familiar scent, feeling the comforting warmth – he trembled worse than ever in his life, tears (for once ones of happiness) escaping.

They both knew they'd have to do a lot of adjusting, deal with tons of things. But at the moment, neither bothered to care.

They had no idea of for how long they'd been sitting on Kai's bed, simply holding each other as they were struck speechless, when the door suddenly opened. Quickly breaking their embrace (like they'd been doing something bad), they found Dr. Belushka. She had a knowing twinkle in her eyes. " Sorry to interrupt, but someone else has also been anxious to see Kai." Tyson's heart melted as he saw the look in Kai's eyes when he saw the woman holding a heartbreakingly crying, barely day-old baby-boy. " Kai, say hi to your son." She smiled at them both. " According to all our tests, he's completely fine and healthy – despite his rocky start."

Seeming between disbelief and utter joy, Kai carefully took the baby, cradling him into his arms. Tyson watched in awe as Kai whispered something into the baby's ear, and the little-one immediately stopped crying, clinging to his _papa_ with a hiccup. " Amazing", he gasped. " You've gotta tell me how you did that."

Kai grinned and opened his mouth – but all words were caught into his throat when the baby suddenly started to open up his eyes for a very first time. Both parents subconsciously held their breaths – and gave gasps when two breathtaking pools of richest crimson cracked open, gaping up at them as though seeing clearly. " … perfect …", was all Kai could muster, a soul tear escaping to his cheek.

Feeling like his chest had been about to burst, Tyson once more wrapped his arms around Kai's slender form, feeling a wave of warmth as the boy leaned closer. " You know…", he murmured, other hand reaching out to stroke the baby's soft cheek. " We never talked about names… Do you have something in mind?"

Through almost spilling tears of happiness, Kai smiled. " Andrei", he whispered. " Our own warrior."

After thinking about it for a while, Tyson found himself smiling as well. He nodded against Kai's shoulder. " Yeah", he stated. After all the baby had been through… What could've been more suitable? " Sounds just right."

For a long, blissful moment they remained in silence, enjoying of the fact that they were actually together; closeness they'd already thought lost.

Tyson was snapped awake from his thought when he caught Kai giving a stifled yawn. " Tired?"

The Russian nodded, leaning even closer to him. " Hmm…"

Once again smiling, he kissed Kai's hair. " You should get some sleep", he announced, stroking the silken locks. Noticing that the other was still struggling against sleep, he went on. " Don't worry about me and the baby; there's no reason to fear anymore."

Slowly, Kai finally willed his eyelids to rest. Just before falling into a deep slumber, the boy gave a sleepy murmur. " 'Love you."

Sniffing, he kissed Kai again. " I love you too." As Kai's muscles relaxed and breathing slowed down, his hold on the boy tightened. Determination flashed in his eyes. _And I'll make sure that cursed prophecy or anything else will never hurt you again – either one of you._

* * *

/ _**Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go**_ /

* * *

**Ten days later.**

* * *

Furthest corner of a small, Russian mental institution was utterly quiet as psychiatrist Sasha Yentlev made her way towards a man stood before a door. Taking one more look at the papers in her hands, she ran a hand through her long, honey-coloured hair. 

_Completely unresponsive._

_Obvious signs of abuse. Some self-inflected?_

Hearing her steps, the man – psychiatrist Grigori Tekashi – turned to look at her. Relief flashed in his greyish-blue eyes. " Sasha, thank goodness! We've met a dead-end here."

" So I understood." She frowned. " What exactly do we have here?"

Seeming a bit perplexed, the man scratched his head. " To be honest… I have no idea", he confessed. " Eight days ago, this boy was found from a small village ten miles from here. There were wounds all over his body, and he suffered from severe dehydration; which is weird, considering the time of year. He had no ID's, and he hasn't spoken a word – or even reacted to any of us – since; all we know is that he's at the age around fifteen and seventeen." He sighed, shaking his head. " I know how good you are, but… You'll really need luck with this one."

She grinned. " We'll, I've always liked challenges." She then solemned a bit. " Is he in that room?"

Grigori nodded. " Yeah. I'll let you in."

As the door was opened, Sasha suddenly felt like she'd been bitten by the most cruel of winter-winds. Shivering, she entered, feeling very reluctant all of a sudden.

Sitting in a corner of the small, rather darkened room, was a boy with spiked, black hair that had some wine-red decorating them. Chills ran through her as she saw the way his reddish-black, almost blood-coloured, eyes flashed in the light coming from window.

Helplessly trying to gulp down her terror, she took a step closer. " Hi." It was close to a whisper. " My name is Sasha. I came here to help you." There was no reaction. She almost took another step, but backed down in last minute. " Can you tell me your name?" The boy didn't even flinch. For some ridiculous reason feeling overpowering urge to leave, she moved towards the door. " I'll come back later, alright?"

Just before she was out, there was a whisper in the air; if it came from the boy, she couldn't be sure. " … prophecy…"

Once in the hallway, she sucked in a deep breath, just then realizing she'd been holding her breath since she'd seen the boy.

" How'd it go?" Grigori's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Emitting a shivering sigh, she shook her head. " I didn't get out anything."

Grigori gave her a sympathetic look. " I must confess I'm not surprised; we're not sure if he even speaks Russian." Suddenly remembering something, he searched through his bag. " You know… He had this… book with him when we found him."

She frowned. " A book?"

She'd never felt such coldness she did when the man handed her a thick, most likely ancient book that had brown cowers. " This one."

Her hands trembled as she took the book and opened it, although every cell in her body screamed her not to. She jolted visibly when seeing the horrifying pictures and skimming through the pieces of text.

" … _prophecy…"_

Her frown deepened. " What the hell…?"

Who was this kid?

* * *

TBC.

* * *

A/N: SNIFF! Damn, I was _so_ close to tears when writing this chapter! (wipes eyes) 

I… just couldn't bring myself to kill Kai; I couldn't do it to all these people waiting for him. (Besides, I value my well-being…) (glances around nervously)

(Hey, in case you're wondering… According to my "resources", Andrei really does mean 'warrior'. Thought it fits Kai's son.) (grins)

Only epilogue away, folks! Stay tuned! And until then… **PLEASE**, please keep pressing that cute review-button – you know how much hearing your voice means to me!

'Hope I'll see you all next time! Hugs and kisses, take care!


	19. Epilogue

A/N: Oh yes, you indeed are seeing correctly; the final chapter is really done! (Though it took me over eleven pages…) 

Once more, thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for your baffling reviews! Gosh, you really like the last chapter, didn't you? (HUGE hugs) It still takes my breath away you guys like something I've scrabbled up so much!

(Aw, it broke to shatter Kai's legs. (sniffs) In this chapter, you'll see if I was cruel enough to take away his capability to walk completely.

Yay, I'm so happy you liked the Wyatt-part! I figured he'd have to show up; he was the only one who could release Kai from his guilt.

You know, as much as I despise Seiji, I also can't help feeling a bit sorry for him. (sighs) No kid should have a father like Boris. (shivers with disgust)

A work of art? Wow… (stunned breathless) I'm so glad you liked those scenes; I also had fun making the Kenny and Zeo –moment. As for the childbirth… Damn, this is gonna sound gross… (shutters) Um… As Tyson was… well, operated, his… lower parts were… fixed up like woman's. Meaning that as the contractions came, he… well, opened up, just like women. (sweatdrops) Eh… I hope that didn't sound too confusing – or stomach-turning; I'm hopeless at explaining stuff like this.))

You know what's funny? When I started out with this fic, I thought this'd be less than ten chapters long. And what do we have here? Eighteen chapters, and almost a hundred and ninety pages! (faints with shock) So much for a _short_ little fic… (sweatdrops)

Okay, okay, perhaps it's time to wrap this thing up. 'Hope you'll enjoy the final chapter!

(Btw, please take a look at the ending AN's. There – as this is my last longer fic (SNIFF) – I'm saying byes. (wipes tears) And there's also a bit info about the kids, such as their parents and – if you're interested – the meanings of their names.)

* * *

**Chapter eighteen: Epilogue**

* * *

**Fourteen years later.**

* * *

Nine years old Lei's deep-blue, stormy eyes were filled with concentration as he watched his silvery blade spinning on a small bey-dish, every single muscle in his body tense. " C'mon…", he muttered, gritting his teeth as the blade started to wobble dangerously. " Dragoon, help me out here… Only one more minute, and I'll beat my record." 

Suddenly, all his senses were activated at something approaching. Glancing swiftly to side, he found a black blade that held some ice-blue flying towards his. Preparing himself in a breathtaking time, he was fully prepared as the familiar blade crushed against his. Loud screeches of protest filled the small room.

Deep laughter could be heard. " No one catches a Granger off guard, huh?" Both he and his opponent called their blades back. " Your parents and Andrei's training are obviously starting to pay off."

Grinning widely, he found a boy at his age with spiked, fire-red hair and fierce, ruby-coloured eyes leaning against a wall. " Hi Yuki. What are you doing here?"

Yuki snorted. " For your information, you've been luring in this damn room for six hours straight. We were all getting worried."

He grinned sheepishly, scratching his shortcut, dark-blue hair. " Eh… 'Suppose I lost the track of time."

Yuki rolled his eyes, amusement flickering in their depths. " What else is new…" Thoughtful look appearing to his face, the boy looked at the scratches on his blue blade and the impressive battle marks on the dish, them back at him with flaming eyes. " But I've gotta admit it… That training hasn't gone to waste. I watched you for a while; you and Dragoon are impressive together."

Lei's grin grew even wider. " Thanks, partner."

They both jumped a bit when running steps approached, and the door was thrown open. In came a eight years old girl with dark-brown (almost black) eyes, and shoulder-length black hair that had frost-blue stripes. She was panting heavily.

Lei blinked. " Sera, what's up?"

She was still panting so badly she barely managed to speak. " You guys… gotta come… outside…" Her voice reaching its normal tone, she went on. " Andrei and Tanjia… They're going to battle."

Lei gasped loudly, eyes widening, and was on a run faster than the other two could blink. The duo quickly followed him.

* * *

Outside the small orphanage Kai and Tyson had opened (and where all their friends except for Zeo plus Max and Emily also lived) every single one of the kids had huddled together around a huge dish, on opposite sides of which stood Andrei and Tanjia, blades prepared and stone-hard looks upon their faces. A chorus of whispers went through the spectators as everyone tried to guess which one would win. 

But the couple (their hearts beating in perfect sync) didn't even notice anyone else. Hearts were working on their limits and adrenaline rushed madly through both their veins as they watched their blades – Andrei's midnight-blue, and Tanjia's vine-red that also had some purple – strike together time after time, sparks flying in breathtaking showers.

Andrei smirked when Tanjia made a sudden change of movement. Her blade rapidly withdrew from his, then bounced into the air, falling towards his. " Tiger making its jump, huh?" He narrowed his auburn eyes, then grinned again when his blade made it out of the way, instead delivering the girl's red one a hit that almost sent it off the dish. " Too slow, kitten."

Tanjia's rich-purple eyes flashed like ones of tiger's, smirk revealed a flawless row of teeth. " There'd be nothing left of your pathetic little blade if I'd set Driger free, Granger. So I'd keep it nice and quiet."

Andrei arched an eyebrow. " She wants to play tough, I see."

Her former smirk widened. " I wouldn't have it any other way; especially with you."

Firestorm lit into his eyes of scarlet. His long-grown, almost black hair (gathered to a careless ponytail) floated in the wind the blades caused. " As you please."

A huge set of gasps came from the audience as their blades again searched for contact. Almost deafening shriek erupted, and the heat forming was just about enough to set both blades – along with the dish – on fire. Tangling together, the blades – still hissing and steaming – started to rise towards skies.

* * *

Watching his older brother's moves – the way his blade worked like flame or storm on the dish – Lei found himself holding his breath, eyes widened. He'd always admired Andrei's skills, followed closely during every single practise-lesson his brother gave him. But now… 

Damn, he wanted to become as good. Whatever it'd take, he'd battle like that one day; like his brother, like he'd in few occasions managed to see his parents battle.

Determination burned in his eyes " When I battle like that, Ivanov, I'll face off with you again", he announced to the boy standing right next to him.

Yuki nodded with a smirk, flaming ruby eyes meeting his. " That day, I'm expecting you to give me your best shot. After all, I want challenge."

Lei also nodded, whole body bubbling with determination. " I'll definitely beat you."

Snorting, Sera – who was also with them – shook her head. " Yeah, right… Like that's ever gonna happen."

His eyes squinting dangerously, Lei glared daggers at the obviously amused girl. " Exactly what are you saying?" He then huffed. " So okay, I lost against him once. But it could've been a draw!"

" He cut your blade half, dobe", Sera reminded dryly. " Thrice."

As the two kept on their 'discussion', Yuki shook his head and gave an exasperated sigh, refocusing on the battle. He blinked a bit in surprise when finding it was actually over.

* * *

What none of the kids knew, was from the orphanage-building nearby, two pairs of observant eyes followed the battle. 

Watching his older son's moves, Kai couldn't resist the flash of pride only a parent could feel when seeing their child shine. But in the furthest corners of his heart… He couldn't help feeling worry seep in.

" He's doing great." Tala's voice brought him out of those thoughts. Glancing to side, he found piercing-blue eyes gazing at him thoughtfully. " And that's what makes you worried, no?"

Sighing, he gave a nod, fierce eyes growing dark. " Sometimes… I wish Tyson hadn't managed to convince me it was safe to hand Andrei a beyblade." As he watched, the two blades that'd rose into the air started falling back down, giving each other nasty hits all the way. " I'm not sure if he could've been kept away from beyblading forever – after all, it's in his blood. But…" By then, the blades were down, another one wobbling dangerously. " He grows stronger every day; I can feel it."

Looking at the blading boy, Tala gave a small smile. " He's just like you."

Watching both blades rising once more – rushing towards each other – Kai's eyes turned dark red. " That's exactly why I worry." As both blades became pushed off the dish – ending the battle into a breathtaking tie – he sunk into his thoughts. _I know I shouldn't worry; I broke that cursed prophecy ages ago; Andrei isn't in danger anymore. But still…_ Without noticing it, he brought a hand to his chest, sensing this strangest burning. _This feeling… won't go away. Like… it's still out there._

And for a first time, he found himself regretting he and Tyson's decision not to tell the boy about the prophecy.

Noticing that Kai had once again sunken into his own, dark little world, Tala decided that it was time to distract him. He glanced at the looks Andrei and Tanjia exchanged. " How long do you think it takes before those two will figure themselves out?"

Kai winced a bit. " I afraid that whenever it happens, it'll be all too soon."

Looking at his friend, he blinked. " Why so?" He then clicked. " You worried about what Ray will do?"

A smile came to Kai's face as the man shook his head. " Oh no, that kitten – no matter how shocked – wouldn't be a threat." He then sweatdropped. " But Oliver, on the other hand… He'd scratch eyes out of anyone lurking _that_ close to his little girl; no matter who the poor boy's parents are." The Russian then smiled again, noticing something else. " Déjà vu…"

Once more, Tala blinked, mystified. " Huh?" As Kai nodded his head, he looked into the direction – and couldn't help laughing. " Well doesn't this seem familiar…"

As they watched, Lei and Yuki (standing right next to each other, hands an inch from making contact) exchanged determined, stone-hard nods – without a doubt a promise of upcoming battle of the century, partnership.

The similarity between what Kai and Tyson had been… couldn't have been clearer.

Tala found himself arching an eyebrow. " Now this may turn out to be interesting…"

The smirk he knew so very well came to Kai's face. " Definitely."

He didn't know if he should've been annoyed, amused or worried when he saw Kai stifling a yawn. The past couple of days had been quite a hassle.

As soon as Kai had been discharged from the hospital after long months of recovery, he and Tyson had put Hiwatari-fortune into good use and bought this huge mansion from Japanese countryside, far away from praying eyes of press and memories. Either out of will to protect Kai or desire to be close to their truest family, Tala and Hilary had moved along almost straight after. And soon enough, Ray and Oliver – still escaping from the village-elders – had also settled in with Tanjia. It didn't take long before Kenny and Akira followed, having finished their studies.

Now almost seven years earlier – after Andrei and Lei had been in a serious need of new playmates, and Bryan had also moved in with Irina (having travelled around world and finding no place felt like home without the crazy gang around) – Kai and Tyson had started to feel their massive home needed even more voice underneath its roof. After finding and adopting a boy who'd been beaten to half-dead named Cyrus (who reminded Kai chillingly of his own past), the couple had decided orphanage was the perfect solution. Money was no problem; the fortune inherited from Voltaire carried far, and with most of them working, they did very well.

That day, the orphanage was having a huge celebration for its fifth birthday. And needless to say, arranging a party for all thirty people living under its roof was no small task. Tala felt exhausted, and he could only imagine how Kai was feeling. (After all, the Russian was still, even after countless of hours of excruciating physical therapy, forced to use a wheelchair most of the time – or at least when there was a chance of Tyson spotting him.) Especially when the Russian (amusing them all) had turned out to be the mother goose –type, wanting to both keep close eye on the kids at all times and be involved in arranging everything.

Tala gave Kai a stern, evaluating look. " You really should go and get some rest, you know?" he noted, lash of worry in the tone. " I don't want to see you collapsing at the party."

Kai rolled his eyes, corners of his mouth twitching. " Gosh, Ivanov. You sound just like Tyson."

Both jumped a bit when hearing a familiar voice. " Someone called me?"

A wide smile of utter happiness rose to Kai's features when he turned his head to see Tyson approaching. Murmuring something Tala couldn't make out, the two exchanged a sweet, small kiss, Kai running a tender hand down Tyson's cheek.

Tala couldn't help smiling as he watched the way Tyson slid one arm behind Kai's back and the other under his legs with such gentleness he couldn't have imagined existed, then effortlessly lifted the feather-light Russian from the wheelchair into his arms. His heart (despite a minor stab of something he couldn't explain) warmed even more as the bluenette cradled Kai protectively against his chest, and the Russian – trusting his all on the other – rested his forehead against Tyson's chest, arms winding tenderly around the rapidly blushing bluenette's neck.

His eyes were suddenly aching a bit. Those two… They'd made it through so much; heck, Kai had almost died before they'd been allowed to be together. But their love – their bond no one could explain – had defeated all else, defied death and fate.

And to think there'd been a time when he'd been ready to kill Tyson to keep him from hurting Kai…

He snapped out of those thoughts when Hilary walked in, holding her back with an agonized look upon her face. Giving a smile of sympathy, he pulled her into a tender hug and kissed her forehead. " Hard day?"

Sighing, she rubbed her huge belly, leaning closer to his warmth. " These two are just giving mommy hard time." She gave a soft smile – one that could only come from a mother. " Just like with Yuki, the last month is when it stops being fun."

Tala gave his trademark grin, kissing her again. " Well, it's a good thing you have me to pamper you, then." Reluctantly, he withdrew from her, realizing it was time to stop lazing around. " I suppose it's best if you go and get some rest; I'll help Kenny." His eyebrows then furrowed. " Where is he, anyway?"

Hilary cringed. " In kitchen, preparing pizza. I couldn't find anyone else and he insisted to help. You'll better get there before he manages to cause an all-out disaster."

The other three immediately paled considerably. " Oh crap…", came from Tyson.

The last time Kenny had been cooking (and that time, it hadn't been anything more complicated than rice), he'd caused a fire that'd almost destroyed the kitchen. They didn't even dare to think what would happen now.

Kai frowned, moving a bit in Tyson's arms. " Weren't Ray and Oliver supposed to take care of cooking?"

" They went to pick Max and Emily from the airport", Hilary explained, then narrowed her eyes dangerously. " But you'll better go to bed before I and Tala will help Tyson carry you there; you've been working your butt out all day, and you know what the doctor said about your blood-pressure."

Successfully interrupting Kai's upcoming protest with a kiss, Tyson smirked haughtily. " Oh, don't you worry. I have my ways to keep this wild little thing in bed." He then looked at Tala, cringing a bit. " You go and stop the incoming disaster; I'll be there in a… while."

Watching the couple go (Tyson tightening his protective hold on Kai, and the Russian nuzzling himself against the other in a gesture that was meant for just the two of them), Tala and Hilary both smiled. " Cute, don't you think?" Hilary sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder.

A small, soft smile came to Tala's lips. " Yeah." His hand gently graphing Hilary's, he shook his head. " One crazy family we have." _But I wouldn't trade it for anything._

**¨**

Outside the room, Tyson pulled Kai as close to him as possible, cradling the Russian against his chest almost possessively.

Still, after all these years, it was almost impossible to believe that Kai was really there; warm, alive and breathing. And especially during surreally blissful moments like this, he couldn't help fearing the one he loved with all his heart would be ripped away from him.

Almost like reading his mind, Kai shifted just a little, hold on him tightening. The man's long, dual-coloured plait (that fell halfway down his back) made a floating motion as he lifted his head. " Granger, you'll better wipe those thoughts off at this instant", the Russian commanded gently, looking at him with demanding eyes.

He grinned sheepishly. " Sorry… I just… After everything that's happened…" His eyes flashed. " I can't help worrying."

Granting him one of those rare, warm smiles that always made his heart fly, Kai leaned his head against his chest. " Well, there's no reason to worry. I'm okay, and I have no intention to go anywhere anytime soon." The Russian's eyes glint with mischief. " And stop that frowning, or you'll be all wrinkled before you turn thirty."

Somewhat relieved, but definitely not fully convinced, Tyson rolled his eyes. " Ha ha, very funny. You're a real comedian these days." Caught in a spur of moment – and Kai's scent of fresh apples – he kissed his husbands soft hair. " But I still love you."

Eyes falling closed, Kai smiled softly. " 'Love you too, frownie-face", he murmured.

After a second, Tyson opened his mouth to say something, but decided not to when seeing Kai fallen asleep against his chest, utterly content look upon his face.

Smiling softly, he planted a small, tender kiss onto the Russian's forehead, deciding that what he'd been about to suggest could wait. Kai looked just too cute to be woken up.

* * *

In one of the mansion's several rooms, Irina emitted moans of deep satisfaction as Bryan (who'd laid her to a bed), trailed several kisses down her neck, making her feel shivers of pleasure all over. " We… shouldn't…", she managed to murmur, her husband's touch driving her insane. " The party…" 

She was interrupted by a pair of hungry, challenging lips on hers. " … will wait", the man whispered huskily into her ear.

Giving a huge gasp, she wrapped her arms around the man, and couldn't find another word to resist – even with the thought of her… well, overprotective brother downstairs. (It'd taken long before any of the three had recovered from shock after Kai had walk in on the two of them thirteen years back – thus finding out about their 'bondage'. Afterwards, Bryan hadn't dared to show up anywhere near Kai for over a month.)

Without Irina even noticing it, Bryan's warm, soft hands had already found their way underneath her shirt – when the door was suddenly opened without a trace of knock. The two immediately jumped apart, blushing madly like two kids spotted from a cookie-jar. Both (especially Bryan) had to fight against sighs of relief when they saw a cute, five years old boy with ash-coloured hair and huge, exited lilac eyes stood by the doorway.

Irina sighed. " Jaden Kuznetsov, what have we talked about knocking?"

The kid grinned shamefacedly. " Sorry…" But excitement quickly washed away embarrassment. " You should've seen! Anvei and Taja…! They…!" Too excited for words, the boy flapped arms, the lily in his eyes getting a hint of the silverish bronze from Irina's side. " WHOM!"

Bryan chuckled, then walked up to kid and took him into his safe arms. " Someone watched an exciting bey-battle, huh?" He shook his head in amusement when hearing the child's stomach churning. " And forgot to eat breakfast."

Jaden scratched his head, grinning. " _Da_, _papa_."

Smiling widely, Irina pushed herself out of the bed, then walked up and gave the two men she loved beyond anything kisses (ignoring Jaden's protest). " You go and get him something to eat. I'll be there soon."

Bryan nodded. " 'K." Jaden snuggled closer to Bryan as the man started to walk. " So… What would you like to have?"

" Pancakes!"

Smile still upon her lips, Irina watched the two go. She woke from her trance at the sharp dial-tone of her cell-phone. " Yeah?"

" _Irina Kuznetsov? This is Dr. Ilia Rejonev_", came a smooth male-voice. " _I phoned to inform you about the test results…_"

* * *

Back outside, both Andrei and Tanjia had wide smirks upon their faces as they looked at each other, panting heavily, oblivious to the cheering all around them. " Who would've known?" he stated, teasing glint in his eyes. " That turned out to be one heck of a battle after all." 

She arched an eyebrow, seeming amused, and folded her arms – mimicking his usual pose. " And you expected something less?"

His look melting into a soft, almost tender one, he shook his head. " The thought wouldn't have crossed my mind, tiger."

For a long moment they stood there, both sensing thickly in the air that something more should've been said or done. But before Andrei could come up with what it was, a voice broke the moment, as well as the hassle around them. " If you two have decided to quit playing around, we could use some help inside. In case you've forgotten, the party starts in less than three hours." Turning around, they saw Akira stood there, amusement – along with some annoyance – written all over her face. " You'll have plenty of time to show off later." Her eyes squinting just a bit, she looked at Sera, who was still in the middle of a 'conversation' with Lei. " And you, young lady, stop tormenting Lei and come inside. I and dad need help with decorations."

The girl pouted. " I'm not the only guilty one here!" she protested. Seeing the look upon her mother's face, she gave a heavy sigh. " Okay, mom. Sorry."

As the others disappeared inside – waste majority of especially the younger ones excited to get to help with the party – Andrei and Tanjia lingered behind. Meeting the girl's expectant eyes – that were obviously still desperately waiting for him to say something particular – Andrei desperately opened his mouth for a couple of times, but closed it again, realizing that nothing would come out.

_C'mon, Granger_, he mentally snarled, furious with his own helplessness. _Do something, damnit! What the hell's the matter with you?!_

But before he could utter anything coherent, the girl had turned around and walked away, leaving him staring helplessly at her retreating back.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ray parked he and Max's car to the huge parking-lot of the airport, then gave his husband an evaluating look, deep frown upon his face. He wasn't surprised by what he found; Oliver was still gazing out the window, glazed look in his eyes. " Okay", he stated, deciding that the silence that'd lasted for the entire drive had to come to an end. " You've been acting all spaced out for two days already, and it's creeping me out. So what's wrong?" 

Something flashed upon Oliver's face, and for a long moment, he was sure the man wouldn't speak. But soon, words dropped out, so quietly he could barely hear. " Do… Do you ever wish… that we'd have another child?" The French gulped, casting his gaze downwards. " I mean… Tanjia… She's already big, and…" He trailed off.

A smile came to Ray's lips. " So that's what's been bothering you?" Gently, he cupped Oliver's chin into his hand, forcing the other to meet his eyes. " Honey, we've talked about this for dozens of times. The first pregnancy… It almost killed you. And… I don't want to go through the possibility of losing you, not ever again. I'm completely, utterly happy with just the three of us, alright?" His smile widened. " Besides, with the orphanage, we'll always have life around us. When Tanjia grows up – which I hope she'll never do – we won't be suffering from empty nest –syndrome." He kissed Oliver's cheek. " I love you, and with you and Tanjia, there's nothing more I need. So stop worrying. We have a party tonight; I want you to wipe that sad look from your face."

Slowly, a faint smile came to Oliver's lips as well. " I love you too."

As Ray got out of the car, Oliver's smile faded. Biting his lip, he took a deep breath, blinking his glimmering eyes. Words he'd heard two days earlier came back to haunt him.

_" The results were correct. You indeed are pregnant."_

Giving a shivering sigh, he placed a hand onto his still flat abdomen.

The last time he'd told Ray… the Chinese had left him for three months. And now – having seen all complications, felt all the pain and fear…

Of course he realized they weren't scared teenagers anymore; he knew Ray wouldn't run away ever again. But still…

How the hell could he ever tell Ray? Force the one he loved through it all again?

Biting back all emotions, he got out of the car, praying for strength.

**¨**

It took a long time before they finally spotted familiar mobs of blonde and ginger hair from the crowd. Waving his hand a bit, Ray called out. " Max, Em, over here!"

Even though they hadn't seen each other for over two years, the couple hadn't changed pretty much at all (what now Emily's hair was now long-grown and on plait, and Max's hair cut tidily) – except for one, _little_ thing.

Both Ray and Oliver's eyes widened when they saw the tiny, adorable baby sleeping calmly in Emily's arms. " Holy damn…", Ray gasped.

Oliver blinked, dumbfounded. " When did this happen?"

Both parents grinned proudly. " A month ago", Max revealed, heart-warming paternal pride in his tone. " I swear, I've never been through anything so amazing. I almost fainted during the childbirth."

Emily smirked coyly. " You did faint, sweetie. It took the doctor fifteen minutes to get you back up again."

Feeling a warm wave go through him, Oliver reached out a hand, stroking the little one's cheek. The baby made a sleepy sound, but didn't even stir. " What's the baby's name?"

Emily's eyes filled with softness. " Amara. It was my mom's name, so…"

Also welcoming the newcomer, Ray looked at the parents. " You guys should've told us there were three of you coming; we would've arranged a proper welcome-reception for her."

Max laughed. " As much as the little angel here loves attention, the type of 'welcome' you guys throw might've been a bit overwhelming for her. Besides, there's been so much… hassle going on that we thought it'd be best this way."

Only Ray noticed something weird in Oliver's eyes as the French looked at the baby, who was once more sound asleep, blissfully unaware of what was to come. " The kids are all gonna love her, I'm sure." He then looked up, blinking a bit. " But we really should get going. We left Kenny in charge of cooking; we've gotta get back before he'll manage to torch the entire orphanage."

* * *

Three hour's drive away, a young, green-haired priest had a slightly saddened, tender look in his green eyes as he softly placed a single fire-red rose before a tombstone; repeating the morning ritual he'd been loyally following for fourteen years. 

Once again – no matter how many times he'd done this – he had to blink as he read the name on the cold stone, followed by two dates that were far too close to each other. " Hi Aimi", he whispered, like afraid of disturbing someone. " Happy birthday."

Closing his eyes, he could feel wind tenderly caressing his face; almost like it'd been Aimi touching him. A smile spread to Zeo's features. This was the biggest reason to why he loved this little church so much; whenever he walked through the cemetery, he felt like Aimi had been right there beside him, guiding him.

He didn't open his eyes as he went on, the smile vanishing. " Aimi, I love you, and… I… I miss you so much, you know? I'll never, ever forget you; I won't even try." He gulped thickly, feeling his eyes sting. " But… It's been fourteen years, and… I still sometimes feel like I can't breath; even priest Hanou says this is getting unhealthy." A tear he quickly wiped away found its way to his cheek. " The… the best birthday-present I can give you… is to let go. For both our sakes." Despite the slash of pain that was almost more than he could take, a part of him felt like he'd been set free. A flash of Aimi's smiling face filled his vision, and through tears, he smiled. " After all we had, all you gave me… You've deserved your freedom. Thank you, hummingbird." The smile quivered a bit. " And… Who knows… Maybe I'll see you again one day."

In the air, he could've sworn he heard a smallest whisper.

' _Thank you._'

Suddenly feeling that he was being watched, he snapped his eyes open – and smiled when he saw about seven-years-old boy with short, unruly auburn hair and huge, golden eyes gazing at him. " Well hi, Kioshi." Seeing the boy looking at his face with deep worry, he smiled again, wiping away the last reminders of tears. " Oh, these? Don't worry, I'm alright. Just… got a little caught up by memories."

Seeming relieved, the boy nodded and smiled as well.

In wordless agreement, the two of them started to walk towards the church in comfortable silence, both focused on their own thoughts. While walking, Zeo took a glance at the child.

He'd found Kioshi collapsed to the church's stairs two years earlier, severely underweight, close to filthy and – though it was the coldest winter – only wearing thin, blood-caked clothes. Ever since he'd been taking care of the small child as his own, and the boy had quickly learned to return those feelings with at least the same intensity. But even so, they hadn't managed to convince him into saying a single word, not even his name. That's why they simply called him 'Kioshi', meaning 'quiet'. The child seemed happy with the name.

Once almost at the church, Zeo spoke out. " Look… There's… a place I need to go to for a while." Seeing the boy's terrified look, he quickly went on. " I'll be back tomorrow, don't worry. But until then…" Kioshi's eyes widened as he took off his beautiful, golden cross, tenderly placing it around the child's neck. " … I'd be very, very honoured if you'd take care of this for me."

Gosh, he'd never seen such a look of happiness before. He was taken by surprise when the usually resigned boy threw his arms around his waist, pulling him into a hug. Laughing, he soon returned the gesture.

After a while, he gently pushed the child away. " Now, I've gotta go packing." He smiled to the child once more. " I'll see you tomorrow, alright? Until then, remember to be good, and listen to father Hanou." Receiving a nod, he walked on, waving goodbye.

Watching Zeo's retreating back, Kioshi smiled widely, his hand squeezed around the cross.

And then – first time in two years – he spoke. " Thank you."

* * *

Some hours later, with the party successfully starting, the orphanage was filled with voices and action. 

Most of the familiar gang stood at a side of a huge room, watching with smiles upon their faces as the kids goofed around.

" Five years, huh?" Max (holding Amara, who was miraculously sleeping despite all noise) broke the long, comfortable silence.

" Feels almost unreal", Tyson admitted, eyes following Lei and Yuki, who were sitting together, comparing their beyblades. " Sometimes… I still fear that I'll wake up and this all turns out to be just an illusion."

Eyes gaining a shade of silver, Kai slipped his cool hand into Tyson's, giving a small, yet meaning-filled squeeze. " Trust me, Dragon", he murmured, so quietly that it was heard just by the two of them. " This…" He kissed the hand, making the bluenette shiver lightly with pleasure. " … is as real as it gets."

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door, barely carrying to where they were.

Reluctantly releasing his hold of Kai's hand, Tyson sighed. " I'll better go and get that."

" And I'm going to see how my own little computer-genius is doing", Akira stated, stretching. " He said he has some work to do, but I refuse to let him lock himself into our room for all night."

Tala arched an sceptical eyebrow. " Exactly how are you going to persuade him away from his laptop?"

Almost out of the room, Akira peered over her shoulder, eyes glinting. " I have my ways."

And that was pretty much all the others wanted to know.

Already at the front-door, Tyson frowned, wondering who was missing from the group. Once opening, he gave a huge grin. " Well how about this… I thought you wouldn't be able to show up!"

Returning Tyson's brief hug, Zeo smiled widely. " I got my work done faster than I expected." Looking around, he gave a gasp, once more smiling when seeing all the kids. " Gosh, Tyson… This place is amazing!"

The other smiled a bit smugly. " Oh, we're doing the best we can." He then graphed Zeo by the hand, leading him towards the kitchen. " Now let's cut the crap and get you some food! Then, you'll tell us exactly what you've been so damn busy with all year!"

* * *

Opening the door of she and Kenny's room, Akira couldn't help but smile at what she saw. 

There – face bathing in the light of computer screen – Kenny sat before his laptop. Although the man seemed just about ready to fall asleep any given second (his eyes were already drooping dangerously), he typed on valiantly, frowning and pouting cutely every now and then.

It was almost too adorable to be interrupted, but she chose to give no mercy – for his sake. Still smiling, she stepped in. " Hi, sweetie", she greeted, then walked up to her husband and ran a hand through his now shortcut, silky hair. " I came to see how you're doing."

The man emitted a sigh. " I would be doing much better if this damn thing wouldn't throw tantrums at me every five seconds." Momentarily ripping the gaze of his black coffee –coloured eyes off the screen, he looked up at her. " How's the party going?"

" Would be much better with you along", she replied in a meaningful tone, somewhat accusing look in her eyes. She could feel him tremble as she ran a hand down from his neck to back, then bent closer and whispered into his ear. " If you agree to leave that little thing for tonight… you'll be very, very well rewarded."

She could almost feel Kenny tense up. The man's eyebrow arched. " And…" His voice sounded unnaturally hoarse. " What would that… reward be?"

She smirked smugly. This battle was won.

Two minutes later, they both walked into the party, Kenny still blushing madly.

* * *

Feeling severe nervousness rising in the pit of his stomach, Bryan frowned as Irina led him away from the others. " Foxie… What is it? Are you alright?" 

Some of the worry turned into curiosity and relief when the woman nodded, smiling. " Yeah. Or… Depends on how you look at it." Seeming very nervous all of a sudden, she ran a trembling hand through her hair. " You know I went to a doctor, after that nausea and… stuff, right?"

He nodded stiffly, the former discomfort returning. What the heck was this about?! " Are you… sick?" The last word brought a sore taste into his mouth.

She laughed, shaking her head. " No, not even close." Uneasiness then returned into her eyes. " The thing is… I'm pregnant."

At first, Bryan simply gawked at her, not understanding. Then – so rapidly it startled her – he picked her up and pulled her forcefully against his chest. " Oh my God…", was all he could muster. Then, caught into a storm of racing emotions, he kissed her with all his passion. " Foxie, I love you! I love you so much!"

Laughing again, Irina tenderly returned his hug. " I love you too, birdie. But you'll better let me down before you'll crush us both."

As a response, Bryan kissed her again, unable to do anything but laugh.

* * *

Outside the building, Tanjia sat on a porch with a mug of strongest tea in her hand, gaze of her darkened eyes fixed to the bey-dish she and Andrei had formally been occupying. 

Through her mind, flashed all the looks, touches and battles with Andrei; times when she'd felt like she wasn't completely in this world anymore. And then… the feeling of something inside of her dying with him keeping that damn wall of silence and distance between them.

She found herself gritting her teeth with frustration.

No matter how much she loved him, she wasn't sure of for how long she'd be able to go on like this. Because if this would go any further… there'd be nothing left of her.

Suddenly sensing movement by her side, she spoke out quietly. " Remember how we used to battle out there, as kids?"

The boy (who was at about her age) stood beside her gave a small smile, his jade-coloured eyes flashing a bit. Wind hugged his messy, shortcut brown hair. " Yeah." He gazed down at her, mischievous look upon his face. " I always had fun with trashing your blade."

Despite the weight on her chest, she laughed. " Thank God I've developed since!" But her face soon returned solemn, eyes gaining sadness. " Cyrus… Do you ever miss those days? Wish that we'd never grown up?"

The boy's eyes darkened as he gave a small nod. " Yeah… Everything… was so much easier back then."

As silence fell upon them, Cyrus gave a the girl a look, feeling his heart shatter at the unshed tears in her eyes. Gosh, how tempting it would've been to wrap his arms around her and take away all that pain. But he knew that no matter how desperately he would've wanted to, he wasn't the one who could do that. Besides, he knew destiny's work when he saw such; there was no way he could ever mess up the happiness of his two best friends.

And that's why he settled with the second best thing. " You shouldn't give up on him just yet, you know?" It hurt, but he had no other choice. " He really loves you, Taji. And whatever the heck it is he's looking for… he'll find it eventually. And that's when you'll have the all of him."

No matter how badly he'd been hurting, it all eased a bit when he saw the thin smile that came to Tanjia's face. " Thanks, Cyrus." Her eyes darkened a shade as she looked away. _I really hope you're right_, she mused. _Because I wouldn't want to wait for the rest of my life._

* * *

Later that night – when the party was practically over, smallest kids asleep and adults talking quietly about issues that were strictly closed to the younger inhabitants – Lei walked across the yard, hands showed into his pockets. There was a deep, disappointed frown upon his face. _Where the heck is he?_

And just then, he grinned when hearing a familiar sound. A blade spinning on a dish.

**¨**

Andrei's eyes were slightly narrowed, directed to his blade though they didn't really see much.

Why the heck was it so hard for him to just let Tanjia completely into his heart? He'd been crazy about her for as long as he cared to remember. So why was he keeping her in distance?

Could it be… because he was waiting for something; something he knew could never include her? Did it have a connection with why his _papa_ always looked like he'd seen a ghost whenever he mentioned bit-beasts?

He loved his family above everything. But still… He couldn't help wondering what secrets his parents were keeping from him.

" Here you are!" his little brother's cheery voice (coming from behind him) snapped him off of those thoughts. " I've been looking all over for you!" He could almost picture the child trying to see exactly what he was doing. " Are you practising new moves?"

Smiling, he called back his blade, then peered over his shoulder to see Lei stood by the practice-room's doorway, excitement in his stormy eyes. " No, not tonight. I was just thinking a bit." Taking a glance at the clock hanging on a wall, he arched an eyebrow. " You do realize that _papa_ wouldn't be too thrilled if he knew you're up this late, right?"

The child pouted. " I'm already nine! Besides, it's a party-night; why should I have to go to bed like some… kid?"

A grin came to his features. " Because you're big enough to know that sleep is good for you." Getting up to his feet, he found them slightly weakened and sore for long sitting. " Now… You'll better go to your room before any of the adults catches you awake."

Lei frowned, seeming deeply disappointed. " But I wanted to train with you!"

Smiling softly, he ruffled the child's hair – something only he was allowed to do. " We'll practise tomorrow, I promise you." Earning a delighted laughter, he lifted the light kid to his shoulders. " But now, let's get you to bed."

**¨**

After successfully tucking his brother to bed (and staying over for a while to make sure he stayed there), Andrei found his legs taking him across the yard, towards destination he didn't have a slightest clue of.

Shivers – cold and ominous, unlike anything he'd felt before – went through his spine as he realized he was heading towards dark nearby woods, place where he'd never gone before, following a rather small path. Branches of thick trees slashed his face, and the darkness barely allowed him to see a thing before him, but he couldn't stop, not when every fibre of his being screamed out for him to walk on, towards something he'd been waiting for all his life.

Andrei wasn't quite sure of for how long he'd been walking, when he suddenly stopped on a small opening. Eyes slowly getting used to the darkness, the could see trees all around him (forming a thick wall, leaving practically no room for escape), stones – and a small, obviously much used bey-dish, right before him.

He was a bit dumbfounded at first, but his eyes soon widened as he realized what this place was. For as long as he could remember, his _papa_ had disappeared off somewhere almost every night – to practise blading, he'd always known, though it was never said out loud. Afterwards, the man would sit before a fireplace for a long time, staring at the flames caressing wood. Those nights, the man's fiery eyes always held a slightly lost, nearly sad look – almost like he'd been mourning over the loss of something. Something those flames brought closer.

Feeling something close to a call inside of him, he pulled out his blade with a trembling hand, realizing he'd never been this nervous in his entire life. Electric tingling filled the air as he launched the blade and stood there, trembling, waiting…

After a couple of minute's wait with absolutely nothing happening, he declared to himself that at least now, he was officially out of his mind. Shaking his head with a snort, he prepared himself to call his blade back – when a majestic, deafening cry suddenly filled the air.

Heart racing madly, he barely dared to lift his gaze to meet what he somehow knew to be his fate. Eventually – trembling even more violently than before – he cast the gaze of his auburn eyes towards the sky – and all breath was stuck into his throat. " Oh my God…"

There, their huge, magnificent wings spread and eyes flaming with fire (one flame just like the one in his eyes, the other dark and cold), two breathtakingly beautiful birds – phoenixes, he knew for sure – circled above him, both giving triumphant cries that were almost enough to explode his ears. They were like two sides of yin-yang –symbol; one, fiery-red, seeming to glow in this strangest bathe of unearthly white light, the other's feathers and aura darker and colder than the night-sky spreading above it, its eyes like two pale, unforgiving stars.

He knew he should've turned around and ran away, be filled with terror. But his head was buzzing with whispers – words that sounded like a chant – and unable to stop himself, he took a couple of steps forward and picked up his blade, lifting it towards the phoenixes.

… _prophecy …_

Seeing what he was doing, both birds' eyes flashed. And one of them took a dive towards his awaiting blade.

After a while, a loud scream ran through the woods, swallowed by the trees.

* * *

Inside the orphanage, Kai gave a huge gasp, his hand flying against his chest that was suddenly burning hellishly. 

It only took him a brief second to realize what was happening. His heart started to race far faster than should've been possible.

This burning… He'd felt it before, almost a lifetime ago…

" Dranzer…"

If… If she really was back… she hadn't came alone.

A tear rolled down his cheek. He should've known phoenixes couldn't be destroyed that easily…

" No…"

But he already knew it was much too late.

* * *

In a small Russian mental institution, a pair of blood-coloured snapped open, a victorious flame waking inside their depths. 

A voice that hadn't been used for fourteen years croaked out. " It's beginning again…"

For so many years, he'd spent in this hellhole – locked inside his mind – waiting for this day to finally come.

A smirk revealed Seiji's teeth, that shone in the silvery moonlight.

The new bearer was finally ready. The phoenixes were reborn.

The prophecy… He'd make sure that this time, it'd be fulfilled. That his father hadn't died for nothing – that his whole life hadn't gone to waste.

He lifted his gaze when the door was opened. In peered a female psychiatrist, who's name he faintly realized being Sasha. " Well hello there. How are you today? Feeling ready to talk?"

Seiji's eyes gained a chilling shade of dried blood when meeting hers.

The next morning, news reported that psychiatrist Sasha Yentlev – along with three guards – had been found dead, brutally murdered.

A patient whose name no one knew was discovered missing.

And so the never-ending war continued. That dark night, yet another generation started out its struggle against the horrifying prophecy.

* * *

_**Owari.**_

* * *

A/N: (slumps down, breathless with shock) I… can't believe this is it. It's actually over. (faints) Damn, I always get emotional when ending these long fics… (sniffs) 

I'm sorry I made the ending a bit open one (hopefully not too much of so). It's just that as phoenixes always rise from the ashes, there story can never really end (at least as long as there's even one Hiwatari left). And so, the ball of world's destiny now lies on the shoulders of the next generation.

(takes a deep breath)

You guys… From the depths of my soul, **thank you** for sticking around for all this time! (sobs and glomps each and every single one of you) I've had writer's blocks, doubts, and heck, I even considered simply declaring this story dead at one point. But you guys always managed to pull me back on track, boosted up my self-confidence and kept me going. There's seriously no way to thank you enough for it! You've been true miracle-workers, and I mean it!

As I've mentioned, I'm now retiring. (My farewell fic – which, unfortunately, wanted to come out as a death-fic – is already posted.) (cries) As much as it stinks to not get to write to you guys again, I'm not saying goodbyes here. I'll stick around, checking up on what's going on around my fics (which – hint, hint – means that I'll keep reading reviews…), reading your breathtaking fics and perhaps (if my manage to kick my lazy arse into action) even reviewing.

Please, **keep reviewing**; it always saves my day. And feel free to send PM's if there's something on your hearts!

Be good, folks! Kisses and love to you all!

I'll be watching over you!

* * *

So, just to make sure I didn't manage to confuse you too much, here are the parents of each kid. (And, in case you're curious, meanings of their names.) 

Lei: Kai and Tyson. (Couldn't resist giving them a second child. Heh, a real mini-Tyson with daddy's eyes and hair. His name means 'thunder'; thought it'd fit nicely.)

Yuki: Tala and Hilary. (The name means 'snow' or 'happiness'.)

Sera: Kenny and Akira. (Her name means 'burning one'.)

Amara: Max and Emily. (The name means 'unfading'.)

Jaden: Bryan and Irina. (His name means 'jade'.)

(Cyrus: 'like the sun'

Kioshi: as mentioned, 'quiet'.)

And as a reminder…

Andrei: Kai and Tyson, naturally. (I gave him the darker blue hair-colour of Kai's)

Tanjia: Ray and Max, of course. (Just in case you've forgotten, her name means 'angel'.)


End file.
